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Building on the success of the first edition, the Women’s Tour de France offers the Massif Central and the Pyrenees as the setting for a 2023 edition, which is intended to confirm the growing interest in women’s cycling. From Sunday July 23, departing from Clermont-Ferrand and for eight days of racing, the queens of cycling took the light over nearly 1,000 kilometers. Belgian Lotte Kopecky won the first stage in Clermont-Ferrand, after an attack nine kilometers from the finish. The rider of the SD Worx team thus endorses the yellow jersey.
Disappointment for Juliette Labous. A contender for the podium after her recent second place at the Giro d’Italia Donne, the Frenchwoman was the main victim of the day, left behind in the ascent of the Durtol coast.
Clermont-Ferrand in the spotlight. The first stage of the Tour honored the Auvergne capital, with a start and finish in its streets. A stage with a rather simple profile on paper, but with a tricky finish. After a relatively flat course, the road climbed up the Durtol coast (1.7 km at 7.2%), the summit of which was located 9.3 km from the finish.
Van Vleuten big favorite of the Tour. The Dutch Annemiek van Vleuten, already victorious in the Vuelta and the Giro this year, is aiming like last year for the treble at the Tour de France. She faces competition from the young guard led by her compatriot Demi Vollering.