Polish cyclist Kasia Niewiadoma has claimed the yellow jersey in the Tour de France Femmes after a dramatic solo stage victory up the famous Mont Ventoux mountain.
The 31-year-old rider made her winning move just under 10 kilometers from the summit. As her main rivals, Demi Vollering and former overall leader Marlen Reusser, hesitated while watching each other, Niewiadoma broke away alone. She maintained a powerful pace to cross the finish line first on the legendary climb in Provence.
The victory marks Niewiadoma's first career stage win at the Tour de France Femmes and puts her in position to challenge for another overall title. With two stages remaining, Niewiadoma now holds a 15-second lead over Vollering, the 2023 champion, while Reusser dropped to third place, 39 seconds behind.
Mont Ventoux is widely considered one of the hardest climbs in professional cycling. The steep gradients proved difficult for many competitors, causing several prominent riders to lose time early on the mountain's lower slopes.
Niewiadoma, who won the Tour de France Femmes overall in 2024, spent time training on Mont Ventoux earlier in the summer to prepare for the stage. With small time differences between the top riders, she expects a fierce battle to defend her yellow jersey in the final weekend of racing around Nice.