It’s just a lotta Tour de France, isn’t it? As Tadej Pogačar closes in on yellow in the men’s race, the Tour de France Femmes is about to kick off. On Saturday, the fourth edition starts in Vannes, opening with a short but selective 78.8-km stage to Plumelec.
As expected, some of the sport’s biggest names are lining up: Demi Vollering (FDJ–SUEZ), now with a new team after being denied back-to-back titles in 2024; Katarzyna Niewiadoma (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto), who stole yellow in dramatic fashion last year; Marlen Reusser (Movistar), Elisa Longo Borghini and Karlijn Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ), Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx–Protime), Juliette Labous (FDJ–SUEZ), Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl–Trek), Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education–Oatly), and Mie Bjørndal Ottestad (Uno-X Mobility).
There’s plenty of star power — but the Canadians could shake things up.
EF Education–Oatly brings national champ Alison Jackson, who’ll be easy to spot in her fresh maple-leaf kit, and Magdeleine Vallières, whose climbing legs might land her in the GC conversation — or bag a stage win.
Winspace Orange Seal will field Kiara Lylyk and Nadia Gontova, both making their Tour debuts. They’ve had strong seasons in Europe and could factor into breakaways or play key support roles.
Sarah Van Dam, riding for CERATIZIT–WNT Pro Cycling, is also making her first Tour appearance. The Victoria sprinter has serious finishing speed and could be a threat on the flatter stages.
You can catch every stage live at FloBikes.com, and Canadian Cycling Magazine will have daily coverage and results. The Tour de France Fellas is wrapping up — but for the women, it’s just getting started. You can watch the Tour de France Femmes on Saturday, beginning at 11:15 a.m. EDT. Yes, the boys race will also be going on, so hey, you can always switch back and forth too. Or, just stick with the TDFF as the men’s race tomorrow may be a snorefest. Don’t get us wrong–there’s been plenty of great stages, but the penultimate stage for the lads in France could be relatively straightforward.
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…