The organisers of the Tour de France Femmes have constantly raised the bar for every version, particularly on the subject of its mountain passes. In 2022, the occasion was routed up Le Markstein and La Super Planche des Belles Filles, and final yr it took on Col d’Aspin and the Col du Tourmalet.
This yr, they’ve upped the ante but once more, with the race set to finish on a excessive atop essentially the most iconic ascent in Tour de France historical past—Alpe d’Huez.
For the primary time in biking historical past, the lady who claims the victory could have her identify etched into one of many ascent’s fabled bends and Évita Muzic is one in every of a handful of French riders eyeing the stage win and that recognition together with Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich PostNL) and Marion Bunel (St Michel-Mavic-Auber93).
“It would be the stage that I might need to win. I do know the climb, however I must have the legs greater than to know the climb. For certain, I feel it would assist, too, have my household and buddies there,” Muzic instructed Cyclingnews.
A convention within the males’s Tour de France, every of the 21 hairpin bends is called after at the least one rider. The twenty first bend is called after Fausto Coppi, who gained the Tour de France in 1949 and 1952. Other riders honoured with bends embody Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, and Bernard Hinault.
“It could be wonderful to win and have my identify on the climb, particularly for a French rider. I’m excited and can do my greatest to attempt to win and to do my greatest consequence within the classification. It is not any shock that the individual with the legs will win it,” Muzic stated.
Muzic got here into this Tour de France Femmes as one of many key contenders within the total classification, and he or she is at the moment ninth total at 1:25 behind yellow jersey Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM). Defending champion Demi Vollering (SD Worx) is simply forward in eighth place at 1:15 again, having misplaced the yellow jersey in a crash on stage 5.
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The peloton accomplished the primary of two closing mountain phases on Saturday. It was the longest stage on the Tour at 166.4km with a closing climb to Le Grand-Bornand, which surprisingly resulted in a GC stalemate between Niewiadoma and Vollering as Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance – Soudal) took the victory from the breakaway.
“Everyone checked out one another, particularly Kasia and Demi. Maybe Demi is a bit afraid of Kasia. I used to be anticipating her to do the climb full fuel, however lastly, no,” Muzic stated.
“I attempted to assault, too, however I had everybody behind me. It was not so steep, so I could not do the climb full fuel. My workforce did a great job. We have a powerful workforce. Grace [Brown] was sturdy. Tomorrow it needs to be simpler to achieve a while gaps.”
Muzic’s FDJ-SUEZ workforce had been the strongest on the ascent to Le Grand-Bornand, with a number of riders nonetheless within the choice to assist their chief. In distinction, Niewiadoma and Vollering had been left with one rider every till they had been finally remoted on the higher slopes of the climb, ending third and fourth on the day, whereas Muzic completed fifth.
“It was our technique, and we’re a powerful workforce, and I’m pleased with our work and our women. That is why I needed to assault, to attempt to make a little bit of a distinction,” she stated.
On Sunday, the peloton will sort out 149.9km that begins in Le Grand-Bornand and canopy three main ascents: Col de Tamié (9.5km at 4%), after which the Col du Glandon (19.7km at 7.2%) earlier than reaching Alpe d’Huez (13.8km at 8.1%) the place the general champion will probably be topped.
“I feel will probably be a small group, and the final three kilometres are steep, so that you needn’t push full fuel as a result of it is so onerous. Only the pure climbers will probably be on the prime,” Muzic stated.
“The final climb will probably be full fuel. If Demi needs to win the yellow jersey, she has to, and after, will probably be one-by-one and shifting up the GC.”
It stays to be seen who will triumph on Alpe d’Huez and have her identify etched into one in every of its bends or who will win the general title on the 2024 Tour de France Femmes.
For Muzic, will probably be her final likelihood to safe a stage win at her dwelling Grand Tour this season, and he or she is hoping so as to add a Tour stage to her victories on the Vuelta and Giro.
“I’ll attempt to have a stage win and full my three Grand Tour victories.”
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