Tour de France Femmes: Sigrid Haugset ima celo Kopeckyja v šaku

Sigrid Haugset secured victory on the third stage of the Tour de France Femmes with a record-breaking solo ride over nearly 88 kilometers, leaving even top contender Lotte Kopecky unable to catch her. The Norwegian cyclist’s performance marked one of the most dramatic moments of the race, as she extended her lead significantly before crossing the finish line ahead of Kopecky by more than two minutes. Haugset also claimed the overall leader’s yellow jersey after her dominant display. The stage began with high intensity, featuring early chaos and a crash involving favorite Demi Vollering, who continued the race without apparent injury. Haugset broke away from the peloton just under 70 kilometers into the stage, distancing herself from the field by over four minutes. Among those trailing behind were other prominent riders such as Antonia Niedermaier, who fell back to 16th place overall with a time deficit of 2:18 minutes. Kopecky attempted to close the gap later in the stage, coming within ten seconds of Haugset around ten kilometers from the finish. However, Haugset responded with a powerful surge, increasing her advantage once again beyond half a minute. In the end, Haugset crossed the line nearly two minutes ahead of Kopecky, while Marianne Vos finished further back with a time deficit of 2:48 minutes. Haugset expressed disbelief at her achievement following the race, describing the win as surreal. It was her second career victory, following her triumph at the Norwegian national championships less than a month earlier. She admitted she had never considered winning this stage possible, despite the encouragement from supporters along the route. “I thought maybe I would come in second,” she said. “But everyone cheered for me, and I managed to pull through. I can’t believe she didn’t catch me, it's fantastic.” Lorena Wiebes, who had previously won two stages with ease, faced challenges early in the stage due to the inclusion of the Col de la Faucille, the first climb of the day and part of the overall route. This forced Wiebes to drop back significantly, creating a growing gap between her and the leaders. With the race moving toward the final kilometers, Wiebes found herself far behind the main group. Looking ahead, Wiebes will focus on regaining ground during upcoming time trials and mountain stages. Her chances for redemption could come on Saturday during the eighth stage from Sisteron to Nice, which features four category-four climbs and 1,420 meters of elevation gain. A mass sprint is likely on this terrain, potentially offering another opportunity for Wiebes to secure a victory. The battle for the yellow jersey intensified following Haugset’s win, with the focus shifting to Tuesday’s time trial. This event, held over 21 mostly flat kilometers with a challenging incline halfway through, will provide crucial seconds for contenders aiming to challenge Haugset’s position. Before the decisive ascent up Mount Ventoux on Friday, two additional tough mountain stages await, each carrying over 2,500 meters of climbing. These stages will test the endurance of all competitors, setting the stage for potential shifts in the overall standings.