Kimberley Le Court of AG Insurance-Soudal captured victory in stage six of the Tour de France Femmes on Thursday, demonstrating resilience after encountering multiple setbacks during the 153.4-kilometer route from Montbrison to Tournon-sur-Rhone. Le Court experienced both a crash and a mechanical failure approximately 15 kilometers from the finish line, requiring a bike change during the stage. Despite these challenges, she managed to rejoin the lead group and positioned herself for a decisive finish.
In the final kilometers, Le Court found herself among an eight-rider breakaway group positioned 10 kilometers from the finish line. She initiated her sprint with 300 meters remaining, ultimately prevailing over France’s Cedrine Kerbaol in a close finish. Puck Pieterse of the Netherlands completed the podium in third place. Le Court completed the stage in 4 hours, 1 minute, and 48 seconds, matching Kerbaol’s time.
Marlen Reusser of Movistar maintained her position atop the general classification, preserving a 12-second advantage over Netherlands-based Demi Vollering. The stage victory represented Le Court’s second triumph at the Tour de France Femmes, following a previous success in stage five last year. Following the stage, Le Court acknowledged her team’s crucial support during her recovery, noting the difficulty of the effort required to return to competitive position after her mechanical issue.
Friday’s stage seven represents a significant test for the field, featuring a 146.8-kilometer distance from La Voulte-sur-Rhone concluding with a summit finish at Mont Ventoux in the French Alps. This stage is designated as the queen stage of the nine-stage event.
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