The second last stage of the Tour de France Femmes contained the famous Col d`Aspin and the Tourmalet.
The closing weekend of the Tour de France Femmes started with a relative short, but very hard stage in the mountains. Several riders tried their luck in the first part of the stage – amongst others a group with Quinty Ton – but the peloton neutralized all attacks. On the Col d`Aspin the battle between the GC-riders started very early and the group split. Mavi Garcia was very committed to defend her GC-spot, but the Spanish champion had a hard time on the Aspin and later on the Tourmalet. She tried to limit her losses as much as possible and finished 20th, almost 11 minutes behind stage winner and new leader Demi Vollering.
Caroline Andersson celebrated her birthday in the mountains and finished 26th after a strong stage. “Honestly I didn`t think too much about my birthday, I was really focused on today`s stage. It was very hard from the start. I could help Mavi at the start of the Aspin, but then had to let her go. She was committed to do well today, but didn`t have her best legs unfortunately. The Tourmalet was also very hard and cold. I am proud that I almost finished my first Tour de France Femmes, but it also feels a little strange that it is almost over.”
Tomorrow is the final stage of this Tour de France Femmes, an individual time trial over 22,6 kilometres in Pau.