Jolt of Confidence Drives Cyclyist to Small Margin Tour de France Femmes Victory

Kasia Niewiadoma outlasted defending champion Demi Vollering by a mere four seconds - the smallest margin of victory in event's history.

Kasia Niewiadoma - Champion Tour de France Femmes / Getty Images

Epic Final Stage on Alpe d'Huez

The Tour de France Femmes concluded with the final 92.6-mile decisive stage up Alpe d’Huez. It is the toughest stage in the history of women’s professional cycling, and a welcome highlight for the sport.

This Grand Tour event ran from August 12-18, and was epic throughout. Alpe d’ Huez, where high altitude and vicious climbs awaited, was a fitting end to this year’s tour.  The stage covered 93-miles (149.9km) between Le Grand-Bornand and Alpe d’Huez, took in the second-category Col du Tamié before the hors-category Col du Glandon (19.9km at 7.2%) and finished on Alpe d’Huez (14km at 7.9%).

Alpe d’Huez is iconic, brutal and historic in the world of elite road bike racing. The final climb during the final stage of this year’s Tour de France Femmes did not disappoint.

Kasia Niewiadoma of Poland battled fatigue and doubt in the final kilometers on the steep mountain in capturing a career-defining overall victory, beating the defending champion Demi Vollering by a mere four seconds – the closest margin of victory in this prestigious race's history.

The two battled throughout the day with the stage going to Vollering, and the Tour de France won by first-time Grand Tour winner Niewiadoma – an epic conclusion to the 2024 race.

The Alpe d’Huez final will be remembered as one the greatest races in history.

A Jolt of Confidence

It was an exhilarating final stage, which consisted of 21 hairpin turns to the ski summit station. Several riders vied for the stage win, with the three top contenders within seconds of one another for the general classification victory toward the end of the day’s race. Vollering gave it her all, pursuing an attack near the top of the Col du Glandon, just 55km from the finish at the Alpine ski station. With only 10km separating the riders from the summit Niewiadoma was dropped, unable to keep pace. At that point, Niewiadoma’s lead of 1:15 at the beginning of the stage had dwindled to 10 seconds. But all was not lost for the struggling rider.

“I definitely lost my confidence. I felt terrible at that moment, mentally and physically. It wasn’t easy, yet as I said, on the descent all of the sudden I got my power. It is so weird how sometimes it happens that you crack, but then all you need is a moment of relaxation and you get your power back.” - Kasia Niewiadoma

The Tour de France Femmes Champion / Julien de Rosa/AFP/Getty Images

Elite Racing on the World Stage

However, with 3km to go the defending champion Vollering began to show signs of cracking, opening the door ever so slightly for Niewiadoma. She capitalized in the final 1,000 meters and preserved her precious victory after 950km of tortuous racing.

Niewiadoma crossed the finish line, collapsed, and cried tears of joy when she knew the 2024 Tour de France Femmes was hers – an instant classic and huge boost to female racing on the world stage.