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Maeva Squiban took France’s first stage win of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift on Friday, storming to a superb solo victory in Ambert.
The UAE Team ADQ rider made her move 32 km from the finish, very soon after Elise Chabbey (FDJ-Suez), the last of the day’s breakaway of approximately 20 riders, was caught.
Squiban’s move came on the category 2 Col du Chansert and she quickly gained time. She still had 1:17 with 10km to go and while the riders behind put in their own efforts to chase, including the FDJ-Suez team of Demi Vollering, the Frenchwoman was too strong.
The 23 year old hit the line well clear, improving on her second place behind Justine Ghekiere on the Le Grand Bornand stage last year.
“It is a really an amazing feeling. I didn’t expect to do that,” she said. “I know we had a strong team. We are only four now, but we are all really strong and we knew that we were able to do something big today. Finally we did it, so it is just a special day for us.”
Juliette Labous (FDJ-Suez) attacked on the descent and held on for second place, 1:09 back, while race leader Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal Team) outsprinted Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) and the rest of the GC group four seconds later.
That plus a bonus during the stage sees her extend her overall lead over Pauline Ferrand-Prévot to 26 seconds. Niewiadoma picked up time in the same intermediate sprint and is now third overall, 30 seconds back, with Vollering a further second adrift in fourth place.
“We tried to close the gap to the front rider and try and get the stage, but we knew it was not going to happen,” Le Court said. “So I tried to take the last few kilometers easy and just recover for tomorrow. And get third position on the line and get more bonus seconds.”
Chabbey and Squiban light up the race for France
Chabbey rode an inspired race, driving the breakaway to boost her Queen of the Mountains lead, and then chasing for teammate Vollering after she was caught (Photo: Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images)
Stage 6 of the Tour de France Femmes was the real beginning of the mountains. Following a flat to undulating route early on, it featured the category 1 Col du Béal, which climbed to 1399 meters above sea level, and then the category 2 Col du Chansert.
The second half of the day was markedly more difficult than the previous stages and, with an additional uncategorized 5km climb following and offering bonus seconds, there was ample scope for the GC riders to test their rivals.
Elise Chabbey (FDJ-Suez) was the best placed overall of a large break which went clear soon after the start. The Frenchwoman started the day 12th, 1:19 off the yellow jersey.
She also had the addition motivation of hunting points for her Queen of the Mountains lead. Chabbey was first and second on the early category 3 climbs, and the break had just under a minute starting the Col du Béal.
She took the points at the top, just 27 seconds ahead of the GC group. Ace descender Cedrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) put in a move on the downhill, tracked by defending champion Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM-Zondacrypto), but they were caught by the start of the Col du Chansert.
Chabbey was mopped up with 33km left, one kilometer before Squiban made her move. She was riding powerfully and with the GC group looking at each other, quickly gained time.
She was approximately 1:10 ahead of the GC group at the summit and despite Chabbey’s efforts to bring the GC group back to her, she had inched her lead up to 1:20 with 16km to go.
Squiban was on the day’s last climb there, the uncategorized 4.6km Valcivières ascent, and took the time bonus at the summit.
GC battle fizzles but doesn’t fully alight
Kim Le Court savored another day in yellow and rode very strongly, looking increasingly like a big threat for the overall (Photo: Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images)
Race leader Le Court put in a massive surge for second, just ahead of Niewiadoma. That secured them bonuses, moving them a little further clear of their rivals in the overall classification.
“I felt really good today,” Le Court later said. “It was a matter of seeing if the legs were there, and then being looked after by my teammates in a super way, like always. I couldn’t ask for a better team.
“Then trying to get the bonus seconds. There was already a rider up ahead, so I could try to get second place which I did. I felt super strong.”
Juliette Labous (FDJ-Suez) attacked on the plateau before the descent, racing clear with just under 10km to go. She gave it everything but was still 1:09 behind Squiban at the finish. Le Court outsprinted Vollering for the remaining time bonus and extended her overall lead.
“A stage win would have been nice but we are all safe through the line and we keep yellow,” she said.
Next up in the Tour de France Femmes is Friday’s stage to Chambéry. The 160km stage is mostly flat for the first 100km but then two second cat. climbs rear up, separated by a category 4 ascent.
The Col du Granier is the last of those three and tops out 17km from the finish, with a fast plunge towards the finish offering opportunity to skillful descenders.