In a high finish, Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance – Soudal Team) emerged victorious in the seventh stage of the Tour de France Women’s 2024. The hilly day was disputed in a between Champagnole and Le Grand-Bornand (Le Chinaillon) in a demanding route of 166.4 kilometers.
The Belgian, who was also the best climber of the women’s Giro d’Italia, crossed the finish line on the Le Chinaillon hill first ahead of French rider Maëva Squiban (Arkéa – B&B Hotels Women) and Dutch rider Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx – Protime).
The day began at a good pace, but without many surprises in the early stages. The bunch controlled the multiple attacks and was compact in the first hour of the race. On the first climb of the day at the Col de la Croix de la Serra (12.2km at 5.1%) Dutch rider Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) went first.
Then, the breakaway of the day was formed by the Dutch Marianne Vos (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), the Spanish Sara Martin (Movistar Team), the Australian Sarah Roy (Cofidis Women Team), the American Ruth Edwards (Human Powered Health) and the Belgians Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance – Soudal Team) and Julie Van de Velde (AG Insurance – Soudal Team).
On the penultimate ascent of the Col de Saint-Jean-de-Sixt (5.4km at 5.1%) the breakaway broke up after an attack by Belgian Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance – Soudal Team), the best climber of the round of France and wearer of the red jersey, who went solo with less than 10 kilometers to go.
In the first ramps of the ascent to the Grand Bornand – Montée de Chinaillon, 8.2 kilometers long with an average gradient of 4.7, Ghekiere, increased the advantage over her pursuers, while the favorites began the chase, quickly deducting more than a minute with the lead of the race.
The final stretch, with only Ghekiere in the lead, the Belgian pushed hard to maintain her advantage and take the victory in spectacular fashion after her devastating attack on the penultimate climb of the day.
The Tour de France Femmes will end this Sunday with the eighth and final stage of 149.9 kilometers starting in Le Grand-Bornand and finishing at the mythical Alpe d’Huez, a mountainous day that includes three categorized prizes.
Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (2.WWT)
Results Stage 7 | Champagnole – Le Grand-Bornand (166,4 km)
| 1 | Justine Ghekiere | AG Insurance – Soudal Team | 4:26:58 |
| 2 | Maëva Squiban | Arkéa – B&B Hotels Women | 1:15 |
| 3 | Demi Vollering | Team SD Worx – Protime | 1:23 |
| 4 | Katarzyna Niewiadoma | Canyon//SRAM Racing | ,, |
| 5 | Évita Muzic | FDJ – SUEZ | 1:27 |
| 6 | Thalita De Jong | Lotto Dstny Ladies | 1:28 |
| 7 | Puck Pieterse | Fenix-Deceuninck | ,, |
| 8 | Juliette Labous | Team dsm-firmenich PostNL | ,, |
| 9 | Pauliena Rooijakkers | Fenix-Deceuninck | ,, |
| 10 | Gaia Realini | Lidl – Trek | ,, |
Ranking General
| 1 | Katarzyna Niewiadoma | Canyon//SRAM Racing | 20:00:52 |
| 2 | Puck Pieterse | Fenix-Deceuninck | 0:27 |
| 3 | Cédrine Kerbaol | CERATIZIT-WNT Pro Cycling Team | 0:37 |
| 4 | Juliette Labous | Team dsm-firmenich PostNL | 1:01 |
| 5 | Thalita De Jong | Lotto Dstny Ladies | 1:09 |
| 6 | Shirin van Anrooij | Lidl – Trek | 1:12 |
| 7 | Pauliena Rooijakkers | Fenix-Deceuninck | 1:13 |
| 8 | Demi Vollering | Team SD Worx – Protime | 1:15 |
| 9 | Évita Muzic | FDJ – SUEZ | 1:25 |
| 10 | Justine Ghekiere | AG Insurance – Soudal Team | 1:27 |
Source: Revista Mundo Ciclistico