Poland’s Katarzyna Niewiadoma won her first Tour de France Femmes title on Sunday (August 18), fighting off the challenge of defending champion Demi Vollering on the Alpe d’Huez who won a dramatic final stage – but not by enough to retain her crown.
Niewiadoma crossed the line in fourth place and broke down in tears as she realised she had done enough to keep the yellow jersey by a margin of four seconds, with Pauliena Rooijakkers taking second place on the stage and Evita Muzic third.
Niewiadoma, who finished third in the previous two editions of the Tour, still had energy left after the finish, raising aloft her bike in celebration, while an exhausted Vollering lay on the ground crying in disappointment.
