Here at PEZ we’re not just WATCHING the Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift; we’re FEATURING them! Today’s EuroTrash goes all in on the women’s Tour, from two riders doubling up on stage wins to a couple of racers who don’t seem to age — to Ferrand-Prévot’s audacity on the Madeleine and ultimate victory. Plus an update from the Clásica San Sébastian, a couple of rider retirements — and a peek at the all-comers Étape du Tour Femmes.
TOP STORY:
- Ferrand-Prévot Doubles Up on Stage Wins on the Way to Dominant GC Triumph
Race News:
- PFP wins final stage to seal Tour victory
- Two for Two: Wiebes, Squiban both nab dual stage wins at TDFFAZ
- TDFFAZ by the Numbers — Stage-by-Stage
- PEZ’ TrashManMike shares his snap analysis of Ferrand-Prévot’s victory
- Ciccone wins first post-Tour UCI race, Clásica San Sébastian
- Tour de Pologne starts this Tuesday
- L’Etape du Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Route (with Video)
Rider News:
- Ellen van Dijk retires
- Rafal Majka to retire after this season
TDFFAZ Gear
- Zwift releases the Special Edition: Watch The Femmes Smart Frame
- Clever cooling at the women’s Tour
Ferrand-Prévot Doubles Up on Stage Wins on the Way to GC Triumph
Clock it! Pauline Ferrand‑Prévot (Visma | Lease A Bike) wrapped up one of the most remarkable years in recent cycling history by winning the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift in dominant fashion. Following her gold medal performance in the Paris Olympic Mountain Bike competition and her Paris-Roubaix victory, “PFP” claimed the General Classification with back-to-back punishing performances in the Tour’s final two stages, both raced in the high mountains. Ferrand-Prévot finished 3m 42s ahead of pre-race co-favorite Demi Vollering (FDJ‑Suez); rounding out the podium was 2024 winner Kasia Niewiadoma‑Phinney (Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto).
Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx‑Protime) secured the green points jersey, Elise Chabbey (FDJ‑Suez) took the polka‑dot mountains classification, and Nienke Vinke earned the white young rider’s jersey.
The nine-stage race featured diverse terrain and tight competition. Stage 1 (Vannes → Plumelec) saw Marianne Vos overtake her teammate Ferrand‑Prévot to win the opening sprint and don the first yellow jersey. Later, in Stage 5 (Chasseneuil‑du‑Poitou → Guéret), Kim Le Court‑Pienaar sprinted to victory and recaptured the yellow jersey from Ferrand‑Prévot. Stage 6 (Clermont‑Ferrand → Ambert) featured a dramatic solo by Maëva Squiban (UAE Team ADQ), who attacked from 32 km out to win by 1 m 09 s, while Le Court‑Pienaar retained yellow. Stage 7 repeated Squiban’s success with her second win in as many days.
Then came the Alpine drama: on Stage 8, Ferrand‑Prévot powered up the Col de la Madeleine, soloing to victory by 1 m 45 s and seizing the yellow jersey with a 2 m 37 s lead over Sarah Gigante ( AG Insurance–Soudal). In the final Stage 9 (Praz‑sur‑Arly → Châtel), Ferrand‑Prévot confirmed her dominance, attacking 7 km out on Joux‑Plane to win the stage and the overall title, while Vollering sprinted to second place on the day and in GC, and Niewiadoma‑Phinney took third overall. Gigante, an early outside General Classification pick, proved one of the strongest climbers in the peloton, but descended tentatively and ultimately fell behind the leader, and fell to sixth position overall.
RACE NEWS
Sunday, August 3rd, 9th stage: Praz-sur-Arly > Châtel Les Portes Du Soleil– A thrilling final stage of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift was won in superb style by Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) in Chatel, securing the GC victory for the Frenchwoman. After her brilliant race-winning performance on the Col de la Madeleine on Stage 8, Ferrand-Prevot was by far the strongest rider again on Sunday afternoon, leaving her rivals behind with 6.7km to go and powering on to cross the finish line 20” ahead of Demi Vollering (FDJ – Suez), who also finished second overall by 3’42” in the general classification. Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto) was third on the stage, finishing 23” behind Ferrand-Prevot on the day and third overall at 4’09”, completing the podium and maintaining her 100% record of top 3 Tour results. The Stage 9 top five was completed by Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl – Trek) and Dominika Wlodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ), leaving Wlodarczyk fourth in the GC and Fisher-Black fifth overall. Starting the day second in the GC, Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance – Soudal Team) lost ground to the leaders’ group on the Joux-Plane descent and finally finished the stage seventh (3’53”), meaning she was sixth in the GC at 6’40”.
2025 Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift Top 10 Results (courtesy ProCyclingStats.com)
Two for Two: Wiebes, Squiban Both Nab Dual Stage Wins at TDFFAZ
Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx‑Protime) and Maëva Squiban (UAE Team ADQ) both struck gold twice at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Wiebes delivered her two stage victories in the flat sprint finishes on Stages 3 and 4, showcasing her signature speed and consistency in the points classification. (General Classification winner Ferrand-Prévot would also win two stages, the final two of the nine-stage Tour.)
Meanwhile, French home‑hope Maëva Squiban stunned the peloton with back‑to‑back solo triumphs in the mountainous Stage 6 (Ambert, with a long range attack on the Col du Chansert) and the high‑mountain Stage 7 (from Bourg‑en‑Bresse to Chambéry), breaking clear on climbs like the Col du Granier and descending fiercely to hold off all challengers. Her audacious efforts rallied the home crowds and cemented her as one of cycling’s most exciting emerging talents.
While neither rider was a factor in the General Classification competition, their dual-dual victories showcased the diverse talent and the wide parcours range on order at the TDFFAZ.
TDFFAZ Stage-by-Stage Data
Le Tour Femmes captured data tidbits for each stage of the TDFFAZ; we’re happy to share it here — with PEZ commentary:
- Stage 1: THREE — The number of career stage wins by ageless wonder Marianne Vos; her Yellow Jersey would switch to Green in Stage Three, but Vos continues to amaze.
- Stage 2: FORTY-ONE — Speaking of ageless, Mavi Garcia became the oldest TDFFAZ stage winner — three years Vos’ senior! Considering that Geraint Thomas is known as the men’s peloton’s Methuselah at 39 — and that Annemiek Val Vleuten won a stage at 39 — these women are inspiring us masters riders (and making us think that both Tours de France need a new jersey designation — the Maillot Gris).
- Stage 3: SIXTEEN — That’s the number of Yellow Jerseys worn by Dutch riders — by far the most from any country. (Maybe the leader’s jersey in the Women’s Tour should just be the Maillot Orange…)
- Stage 4: FIRST — As in, a Brazilian rider — male or female — led over a categorized climb for the first time when Ana Vitoria Magalhaes pulled the pack over the Côte de Marigny.
- Stage 5: NINE — Mauritius became the ninth nation represented at the top of a stage podium when Kim Le Court Pienaar won the stage into Guéret.
- Stage 6: ONE-TWO — It was a one-two punch for France as Maëva Squiban triumphed, and Juliette Labous crossed the line second. This is the first time France has finished 1-2 in its home (women’s) race.
- Stage 7: THIRTY-FIVE — In what is the closest Tour Femmes ever after seven stages, just 35 seconds separate the top five riders.
- Stage 8: FIFTY-ONE — Pauline Ferrand-Prévot sported number 51 throughout the Tour Femmes, including as she spun her way to victory up the Col de la Madeleine. The number represents her home department of Marne, and was worn by both Eddy Merckx and compatriot Bernard Hinault — the last French winner of the Tour de France.
- Stage 9: FIVE — Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney has finished on the podium after five stages — but has never won a stage. She has also finished on the final podium four times — once for every Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
TrashManMike’s Snap Analysis of Ferrand-Prévot’s Victory at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift
While most prognosticators foretold triumph by Demi Vollering, last year’s victor Kasia Niewiadoma, or uber-climber Sarah Gigante, in retrospect PFP’s win makes sense: From what we can tell, she scienced the (mountain bike) s*** out of it.
Knowing that at more than an hour, the Madeleine is essentially a threshold effort — and considering her background in mountain biking, where drafting matters little and efforts are typically relatively steady — Ferrand-Prévot didn’t unleash Carapaz-like attacks; instead, she hid for as long as she could — not just on Saturday’s decisive stage, but in the days leading to it — and then powered away with constant but fierce pedaling that no one was prepared to match.
Much was made of another piece of “science” to Ferrand-Prévot’s win: She scouted Saturday’s parcours assiduously, riding the Madeleine dozens of times. Our sense is that scouting isn’t as valuable as it’s been made out to be, not with the data available without ever nearing a climb or a route, but deeply knowing the Madeleine’s uneven grade allowed her to allocate her power evenly along the ascent; compare that to her rivals, especially Niewiadoma, who were far less metered in their efforts. So exacting was PFP’s Stage 8 win that her rivals spent Stage 9 marking each other and parrying thrusts aimed at the lower podium spots.
In Ferrand-Prévot, we now have a true multi-discipline champion: Not only one-day and multi-stage road races — she won Paris-Roubaix this year! — but a mountain bike Olympic Champ as well? The G.O.A.T.? Nah…we’d need to see another five years of palmarès before making that designation. Still, an exciting win for France, and an impressive array of abilities.
Ciccone Wins Clásica San Sebastián
Christen was visibly close, but Ciccone was triumphant.
Landing in the calendar-shadow of the Tour de France, the Clásica San Sebastián doesn’t receive much attention — but it does draw top talent, pitting legs both fresh and Tour-hardened against one another — none of the Big Three (Are they still the Big Three?), but close to the Best of the Rest.
This year the riders who sat out the Tour proved dominant, with Isaac del Toro and Giulio Ciccone escaping on the Erlaitz climb, the young Mexican evidently determined to make up for his implosion/ennui on the Colle Delle Finestre in May’s Giro d’Italia. Alas; his initiative notwithstanding, it was the Italian Ciccone who managed to stay away, with Jan Christen bridging and then countering. Ultimately Ciccone proved (just) stronger, countering decisively on the Murgil-Tontorra, cresting the final climb with a gap and holding off a fast-charging Christen on the descent to secure a solo victory.
Check out PEZ’s San Sebastien race coverage and Top 10 results here.
Tour de Pologne Starts Monday, Runs August 4-10
The 82nd edition of the UCI WorldTour race kicks off on Monday and runs through Sunday. The preliminary start list for Pologne, known for its tight General Classification placings, includes Antonio Tiberi, Ethan Hayter, Brandon McNulty, Daniel Felipe Martínez, and Polish stars Rafał Majka and Michał Kwiatkowski.
The varied route of the 82nd Tour de Pologne, featuring challenging stages and a time trial, suits well-rounded riders. Strong performances are expected from Pello Bilbao and Antonio Tiberi of Bahrain Victorious. INEOS Grenadiers will also bring a strong squad, including rising star Magnus Sheffield and returning world champion and former Tour de Pologne winner Michał Kwiatkowski.
The start list also features Daniel Felipe Martínez (Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe), Ethan Hayter (Soudal–Quick Step), up-and-comer Matthew Brennan (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), as well as time trial specialists Stefan Küng and Rémi Cavagna (Groupama-FDJ).
The Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour will take place from August 4 to 10, following a route from Wrocław to the Wieliczka Salt Mine. The race will be broadcast on TVP, Eurosport, and the streaming platform HBO Max.
L’Etappe du Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Route (with Video)
Not exactly a race, but we can guarantee that some riders treat it as such: If you missed out on your chance to ride this year’s Tour — maybe you were lucky enough to catch a flight to France in time for last Saturday’s L’Etape du Tour de France Femmes — running over the same route as stage 8, from Chambéry to Saint-François Longchamp. Just you and some 16,000 other cyclists crammed onto some of the best roads in France…
Missed your 2025 chance? Keep an eye on PEZ…we’ll let you know when it’s time to register for this epic event!
RIDER NEWS
Ellen van Dijk Calls it a Career
Ellen van Dijk, one of the most decorated riders in women’s cycling, has announced that 2025 will be her final season. Over a 20-year career, the 38-year-old amassed 70 victories, including three world time trial titles, five European titles, and a solo win at the Tour of Flanders. Renowned for her dominance against the clock,, van Dijk also played a pivotal role in team successes, most recently helping Lidl-Trek to a narrow team time trial win at the Vuelta España Femenina. A series of crashes and injuries in recent years diminished her love for road racing, ultimately prompting her decision to step away.
Van Dijk’s career also included a remarkable comeback after pausing competition in 2023 to welcome her son, Faas, returning to win races within six months. She expressed deep gratitude for her family’s support and for her Lidl-Trek teammates, praising the team’s commitment to advancing women’s cycling. Ellen tells us she is grateful for the opportunities cycling has given her, and ready to make space for the next generation in the peloton.
Climber Majka to Retire After this Season
Highly decorated Polish rider Rafal Majka has announced that he will retire after the 2025 campaign.
Known in recent years for shepherding (or should we say G.O.A.T.-herding) Tadej Pogačar up key climbs, Majka was an individual threat early in his career, winning three Tour stages and earning two Maillot à Pois climber’s jerseys. He also won a Bronze medal, riding for Poland in the 2016 Olympic Games.
Known also for timing an emphatic grimace whenever the moto-mounted camera would roll past, Majka’s upcoming Tour of Poland will be his final home-nation race; we look forward to his giving us a good show, as always.
TDFFAZ GEAR
The Zwift Watch the Femmes Special Edition
The women’s Tour pioneered title sponsorship stage race sponsorship. (Mike sez: We like “avec Zwift” — not “powered by…” or “brought to you by…” “With” sounds like a real partnership — just chilling alongside the bike race…) As part of their partnership, Zwift has released an exclusive Zwift Ride Special Edition: Watch The Femmes Smart Frame.
Limited to just 124, each frame represents a kilometer of the final, iconic stage of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
The Zwift Ride Special Edition: Watch the Femmes Smart Frame offers integrated handlebar controls, customizable virtual shifting, and a fully adjustable fit. Each special edition frame also comes with adjustable crank arms pre-installed as standard, along with an exclusive “Watch the Femmes” sticker pack.
- Find the Zwift Ride Special Edition: Watch the Femmes Smart Frame in the Zwift Online Store.
And…Creative Recovery at the Finish!
This “gear” comes courtesy of Demi Vollering’s recovery routine: a waist-deep ice bath before even leaving the finishing area. Award Demi and her FDJ-Suez team the “Most Resourceful” prize!
The post EUROTRASH: WTF? FTF! appeared first on PezCycling News.
