03.08.2025 World-Tour, News, Race news

KASIA’S ALL-IN EFFORT NETS TOP 10 ON COL DE LA MADELEINE

In what was undeniably the Queen Stage of this year’s Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, defending champion Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney gave it absolutely everything, but was ultimately outclimbed by seven world-class riders.

The stage went to Ferrand-Prévot (TVL) who delivered a commanding solo win with a gap of 1:45 minutes to Gigante (AGS). Kasia crossed the line at +3:26.

Although she was disappointed not to be closer to the front of the action, Kasia took solace in knowing that her preparation was spot on, and that she delivered the best power numbers of her career.

“I mean, of course, the stage was very hard. Personally, I don’t feel really uplifted or stoked because that’s not the result that I worked hard for. But at the same time, looking at the climb and the numbers, I know that it was the best effort of my life. So the fact that others improved so much just shows how the women’s peloton is growing, and it just makes me wonder — what else can you be doing to be winning the races when simple improvement is not enough anymore?”

Kasia goes on to say:

“I had the best 90-minute power numbers – even in comparison to the last two stages of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift last year. This year is a lot higher.”

The stage eight of nine brought a parcours arguably more punishing than anything the women’s peloton has faced – 112 kilometres with 3539 metres of elevation. Awaiting the already weary riders was the hardest climb yet seen at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift – Col de la Madeleine (18.6km at 8.1%). It wasn’t just the talking point of the day, but of the entire week. A sense of apprehension had hung over the preceding stages, with many suggesting that any gaps made on the lesser climbs could be rendered irrelevant by the time the final weekend arrived.

Riders warmed up intensely on the trainers, knowing that the Col de Plainpalais (13.3km at 6.3%) began straight out of the gates. It was an aggressive start, with a large, dangerous breakaway forming and building a sizeable gap. A descent followed this first category one climb, then a gentle climbing section, before another steady drop into valley roads. Chloé Dygert, Neve Bradbury, Ricarda Bauernfeind, and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig were all around Kasia heading into the second descent, before she found herself alone in a small selection at the bottom. The splits soon came back together ahead of the next warm-up test: Côte de Saint-Georges-d’Hurtières (5.1km at 5.4%) – the final step before the mammoth showdown on the Madeleine. Once again, the team rallied around her, helping to bring the breakaway back to within a safe distance. Special mention to Chloé, who emptied herself into the base of the monster climb — beginning the most arduous terrain of the race with almost nothing left in reserve.

With just over 11km to go, Gigante (AGS) launched an attack, drawing Ferrand-Prévot and Rooijakkers (FDC) with her. From that point, Kasia was gradually distanced – trading places with several GC rivals before ultimately crossing the line in 8th, losing time in the closing kilometres after a flurry of late digs.

She explained how the final hour-long effort unfolded:

“I was just going all out. I was not looking down at my power numbers and trying to push something. I just went with everything I had. On such a long climb or gruelling, steep parts, you just push as much as you can. When Gigante and Ferrand-Prevot went away, I just wanted to close the gap, but then, they were also kind of lucky in the way that the breakaway riders from their team were waiting for them. First, Ghekiere, the Belgian National champion, she pulled them up harder, then she dropped. I also saw that the Visma rider was there waiting for Pauline as well. So, it’s almost like everything perfectly aligned for them, as it aligned for us last year. So, no blame for that. But yeah, it was definitely a beast climb and then it’s also chapeau for Pauline because she must have been pushing insanely high power to still put three minutes into us.”

Asked whether Col de la Madeleine was even harder than she could have imagined, Kasia pointed to the toll of the seven intense and draining stages that came before it.

“It’s a different hard when you’re eight stages in. It’s different when you go out there on your training ride and you do your 30 or 40 min effort because you come from fresnhness. It’s different when you do a stage race and you have to consider like uncontrollable factors like travel or what time you go to bed or even what bed you sleep in – there are so many variables that actually affect your recovery. In some ways you just have to accept the things that you cannot control, because like in training, everything is like perfectly organised, let’s say.”

Stage nine finale promises another brutal test, with three huge climbs followed by a relentless uphill finish all the way to the line at Châtel ski station, deep in the Alps. For many riders, it would be difficult to bounce back, both physically and mentally, from such a taxing effort that didn’t go to plan. But for Kasia, the prospect of a stage win or a place on the final GC podium remains a powerful motivator.

“I think maybe I’m feeling a little better because I see chances of still getting on the podium tomorrow and that is something that I really want to pursue – that’s something that motivates me and I really want to do everything to get on the podium. I know that the yellow jersey is out of reach, but I think that there are many teams that there are motivated to do something and yeah, we really hope to get that podium spot at the end.”

Kasia currently sits fourth in the general classification as the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift approaches its final opportunity. She is 22 seconds behind Vollering (FDJ), while Gigante holds a 1:03 advantage. Ferrand-Prévot leads the race, 3:40 ahead, but Kasia believes that her closest rival may not necessarily be the easiest to overcome on her path to the GC podium.

“I’m thinking more that maybe Gigante can drop because there are some technical descents and it’s not like we finish on the top of the climb. Of course, her team is super strong because they proven so far how many times they were just around her, shepherding her on the descent or bringing her up to the front. But yeah, I do believe that there is still a chance.”

HOW TO FOLLOW

Live coverage is available via Eurosport, Discovery Plus, TNT Sports, FloBikes, SBS Sport, France 3, and many other regional broadcasters. Stay updated on X with #TDFF2025 and #WatchTheFemmes, and follow CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto on social media for the latest team updates.

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