Tour de France Femmes 2023
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Date | July 23-30, 2023 |
Distance | 956km |
Start location | Clermont-Ferrand |
Finish location | Pau |
Category | UCI Women's WorldTour |
Edition | 2nd |
Previous edition | 2022 Tour de France Femmes |
Winner | Demi Vollering (Ned) SD Worx |
- Tour de France Femmes 2023 route
- Tour de France Femmes 2023 contenders
- How to watch the 2023 Tour de France Femmes
- Tour de France Femmes 2023 - Preview
Stage 8 - Demi Vollering wins the Tour de France Femmes 2023 / As it happened
Demi Vollering and her SD Worx team dominated the 2023 Tour de France Femmes. After snagging the yellow jersey from her teammate on the previous stage, Vollering finished second on the time trial to close out the second edition of the event. SD Worx also swept the stage 8 podium, European Champion Marlen Reusser won stage 8, with a 10-second lead on Vollering and Lotte Kopecky was third.
Vollering topped the general classification with a 3:03 lead on Kopecky who had worn the yellow jersey for the first five stages. Kopecky overtook Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) by 21 hundredths of a second.
Stage 7 - Demi Vollering conquers Tourmalet to win stage 7 and seize yellow jersey / As it happened
As expected, the Queen Stage provided exciting edge of your seat racing. Demi Vollering (SD Worx) put her mark on Tour de France Femmes, with a dominant solo win on the Col de Tourmalet. She dropped defending champion Annemiek Van Vleuten (Movistar) with 5 kilometre to go on the iconic climb, caught and passed the lone breakaway rider Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//Sram Racing) on her way to an emphatic stage victory. Vollering takes over the yellow leader’s jersey with by 1:50 on Niewiadoma, and 2:28 on van Vleuten, leader into the stage, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) dropped to fourth place overall at 2:35.
Stage 6 - Norsgaard holds off sprint favourites for stage 6 victory / As it happened
For the second stage in a row, the winner in the Tour de France Femmes came from the breakaway that was close to being caught. This time, Emma Norsgaard (Movistar) was the last rider standing from the three-rider move and had enough power to hold off the sprinters by a single second. Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) remained in the race lead amid the drama that her DS Danny Stam was ejected from the race.
Stage 5 - Bauernfeind solos to victory on stage 5 in Albi / As it happened
For the second stage in a row a solo attack succeeded, this time coming from Canyon-Sram's Ricarda Bauernfeind. The stage was thought to be one for the sprinters but the peloton shattered on the mid-stage mountains. The German neo-pro attacked on a climb with 36km to go and kept going, holding off the chasers by 22 seconds. Race favourite Demi Vollering was given a 20-second penalty for drafting off her team car and dropped from second to seventh.
Stage 4 - Yara Kastelijn climbs to first pro road victory on demanding stage 4 / As it happened
Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) attacked with under 20km to go and held on for her first career road race victory on stage 4 of the Tour de France Femmes. It was the longest stage of the week at 177.1km, which saw multiple attacks on the hilly route including race leader Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx). She retained yellow while her teammate Demi Vollering moved into second overall at 43 seconds thanks to the time bonus a second-place finish at Rodez.
Stage 3 - Lorena Wiebes outkicks Marianne Vos to swipe stage 3 victory / As it happened
Another stage win for SD Worx as the maillot jaune Lotte Kopecky took up the reins to lead out her teammate Lorena Wiebes for the stage win, but it almost didn't turn out that way. The brave Julie van de Velde (Fenix-Deceuninck) held onto her solo breakaway until the final 300 metres, with Kopecky finally bringing her back at the last gasp.
Stage 2 - Liane Lippert wins hilly stage 2 ahead of Lotte Kopecky / As it happened
Liane Lippert (Movistar) outsprinted race leader Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) and won stage 2 of the Tour de France Femmes in Mauriac. The German champion came from behind in the sprint at the end of a hilly, challenging 152km second stage, with Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ) rounding out the podium in third place. Kopecky gained another eight seconds in the GC lead, now 49 seconds over Lippert, who jumped nine spots to second overall.
Stage 1 - Lotte Kopecky goes solo to win stage 1 / As it happened
Lotte Kopecky rocketed up the late climb on the opening stage of the Tour de France Femmes 2023, using her power and her dominant SD Worx team behind to solo to the stage win and first leader's jersey of the race.
The second edition of the new version of the women's Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift began on July 23 in Clermont-Ferrand, on the same day as the stage 21 conclusion of the men's race in Paris, and the eight-day race will finish on July 30 in Pau.
The Tour de France Femmes includes eight stages again; however, it did not begin on the Champs-Elysées circuits in Paris as it did in 2022. Instead, it started in a whole new area of France in 2023.
The Grand Départ was set in the Massif Central, with eight days of racing beginning on July 23, in the city of Clermont-Ferrand and the 956km route will take the peloton south and into the Pyrénées, ending with a mountaintop finish on the iconic Col du Tourmalet on stage 7, the crowning moment of the 2023 Tour de France Femmes, and a stage 8 individual time trial in Pau.
Cyclingnews will have live coverage of all eight stages of the 2023 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, along with race reports, galleries, results, and exclusive features and news.
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2023 Tour de France Femmes 2023 Information
The eight-day race is considered by many to be challenging, varied, and exciting. Here is what Cyclingnews thinks of the Tour de France Femmes 2023.
Tour de France Femmes race director Marion Rousse has praised the introduction of the iconic Tourmalet will, saying that it will be inscribed into the history books of the Tour de France Femmes.
The overall contenders will view the Col du Tourmalet as the crowning climb of the 2023 Tour de France Femmes, and a likely place where the overall winner will be revealed, one day ahead of the final stage 8 time trial in Pau.
Defending champion Annemiek van Vleuten has said that the 2023 Tour de France Femmes race is ‘an upgrade’ compared to last year's edition.
Cyclingnews highlights the 2023 Tour de France Femmes key contenders, with ten riders making our list of riders to watch.
Don't miss a minute of the 2023 Tour de France Femmes as major contenders aim to win the yellow jersey, and follow along with this How to Watch the Tour de France Femmes guide for all the latest live streaming and event schedules.
2023 Tour de France Femmes Route
The 2023 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift route hits new heights with 956 kilometres and a grand finale in the Pyrenees with a mountaintop finish on the iconic Tourmalet on stage 7 and a final stage 8 time trial in Pau.
- Stage 1: Clermont-Ferrand to Clermont-Ferrand, 124km (Flat)
- Stage 2: Clermont-Ferrand to Mauriac, 148km (hilly)
- Stage 3: Collonges-La-Rouge to Montignac-Lascaux, 147km (Flat)
- Stage 4: Cahors to Rodez, 177km (Hilly)
- Stage 5: Onet-Le-Château to Albi, 126km (Flat)
- Stage 6: Albi to Blagnac, 122km (Flat)
- Stage 7: Lannemezan to Tourmalet Bagnères-de-Bigorre, 90km (Mountain)
- Stage 8: Pau to Pau, 22km (TT)
2023 Tour de France Femmes schedule
Date | Stage | Start Time | Finish Time |
July 23 | Stage 1 | 12:15 CET | 15:36 CET |
July 24 | Stage 2 | 13:05 CET | 17:45 CET |
July 25 | Stage 3 | 13:30 CET | 17:44 CET |
July 26 | Stage 4 | 12:25 CET | 17:44 CET |
July 27 | Stage 5 | 14:00 CET | 17:39 CET |
July 28 | Stage 6 | 14:20 CET | 17:38 CET |
July 29 | Stage 7 | 16:15 CET | 19:25 CET |
July 30 | Stage 8 | 19:25 CET | 17:30 CET |
2023 Tour de France Femmes Contenders
The 2023 Tour de France Femmes course plays to the strengths of defending champion Annemiek van Vleuten, but plenty will be fighting to curb her dominance across the eight days of racing.
Cyclingnews highlights the 2023 Tour de France key contenders, with ten riders making our list of riders to watch.
In addition to Van Vleuten, her nearest rival will be Demi Vollering (SD Worx) and Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM), as all three stood on the final overall podium last year.
Elisa Longo Borghini and Lizzie Deignan will lead Trek-Segafredo in the eight-day race, while sprinter Elisa Balsamo will eye the green jersey.
Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) won the green jersey last year and will undoubtedly aim to secure that special distinction again in 2023, but she will face other fast sprinters like Balsamo, Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx) and Charlotte Kool (Team DSM).
In the hunt for the overall title, also watch out for Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ), , Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal-QuickStep), Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ) and Juliette Labous (Team DSM).
Tour de France Femmes History
- You’ve come a long way, baby - Vital statistics show sea change in women’s cycling
- Marianne Martin: Remembering the magic of the 1984 women's Tour de France
- La Grande Boucle, La Course and the return of the women's Tour de France
Cyclingnews has assembled a full list of champions dating back to the first version in 1955 and the original women's Tour de France stage race held from 1984-1989 to the modern Tour de France Femmes.
The women's peloton raced their first official launch of the women's Tour de France until 1984 won by American Marianne Martin. It was an 18-day race held simultaneously as the men's event and along much of the same but shortened routes with shared finish lines. The Société du Tour de France, which later became part of ASO in 1992, managed both men's and women's events.
The women's Tour de France ended in 1989, and while ASO went on to organise women's one-day races like La Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, La Course, and the inaugural Paris-Roubaix Femmes (in 2021), the women's peloton had not been included as part of the official Tour de France for the past 30 years.
Other women's stage races in France, not run by ASO, took place including the Tour Cycliste Féminin, which had started in 1992, and the re-named Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale, until it came to an end in 2009.
La Course by La Tour de France was then created in 2014 following a petition to ASO calling for a women's Tour de France. Le Tour Entier's petition was led by Kathryn Bertine, Marianne Vos, Emma Pooley and Chrissie Wellington and secured 97,307 signatures. The event was held across various platforms from a one-day to a multi-day event between 2014 and 2021.
Champions included Marianne Vos, Anna van der Breggen and Chloe Hosking in the first three editions from 2014 to 2016. Annemiek van Vleuten won in 2017 and 2018, followed by Vos in 2019, Lizzie Deignan in 2020 and Demi Vollering in 2021.
Despite its controversy, La Course had become one of the most showcased events in the Women's WorldTour, and although the wait was longer than anyone anticipated, it finally became the stepping stone to the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
Tour de France men's race director Christian Prudhomme made a long-awaited confirmation that Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) would launch a women's Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift in 2022 with Marion Rousse as the event's race director.
Zwift announced that it would become the title sponsor of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift on a five-year deal through 2026.
The first edition of the rebirth of the Tour de France Femmes was an eight-day race that began on the Champs-Élysées in Paris in conjunction with the final stage 21 of the men's Tour de France and end on La Super Planche des Belles Filles where Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) was crowned the overall champion.
2023 Tour de France Femmes start list
2023 Tour de France Femmes Team
- Team dsm-firmenich
- FDJ-SUEZ
- Movistar Team
- Israel Premier Tech Roland
- Team Jumbo-Visma
- Team SD Worx
- Canyon-SRAM Racing
- Fenix-Deceuninck
- Liv Racing TeqFind
- Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
- Human Powered Health
- Team Jayco AlUla
- Lidl-Trek
- EF Education-TIBCO-SVB
- UAE Team ADQ
- CERATIZIT-WNT Pro Cycling
- Lifeplus Wahoo
- AG Insurance-Soudal-QuickStep
- Arkéa Pro Cycling Team
- Cofidis Women Team
- St Michel-Mavic-Auber93 WE
- Team Coop-Hitec Products
Races
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Tour de France Femmes 202323 July 2023 - 30 July 2023 | France | Women's WorldTour
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Stage 8 - Demi Vollering wins the Tour de France Femmes 2023 | Pau - Pau2023-07-30 22.6km
Latest Content on the Race
Tour de France Femmes stage 8 time trial start times
By Simone Giuliani published
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Niewiadoma faces Tour de France time trial with 'good legs' and groundwork laid
By Simone Giuliani published
News 'I came here to fight for a podium, so I will not let go of that' says second-placed Canyon-SRAM rider after aggressive queen stage
Day on the Tourmalet – High altitude atmosphere for Tour de France Femmes
By Lukas Knöfler published
Eyewitness Inside the crowds and a day reporting from on the ground as the crucial queen stage played out in a veil of mist
'Minutes not seconds' - Vollering puts controversy behind her, wears yellow jersey into Pau
By Kirsten Frattini published
News SD Worx leader loses 20 seconds in drafting penalty but gains nearly two minutes on iconic Tourmalet
'I raced with my heart' - Annemiek van Vleuten defeated on Col du Tourmalet
By Kirsten Frattini published
News 'It's obvious that Demi Vollering is on another level' says defending champion after the queen stage at Tour de France Femmes
Lotta Henttala: I did not hold on to the car
By Kirsten Frattini published
News AG Insurance-Soudal-QuickStep says the race jury has damaged their reputation at the Tour de France Femmes
Lotta Henttala disqualified from Tour de France Femmes
By Kirsten Frattini last updated
News AG Insurance-Soudal-QuickStep DS Servais Knaven also excluded from the race
Marta Cavalli targets Tourmalet stage win at Tour de France Femmes
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News Italian climber looking forward to iconic climb
Top News on the Race
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Tour de France Femmes - Niewiadoma takes home polka-dots, amazing feelings
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Annemiek van Vleuten disappointed with final Tour de France Femmes, looks ahead to retirement
World champion praises overall winner Demi Vollering -
Clara Koppenburg's 10-year-old super fan gets team car ride in Tour de France Femmes time trial
'Christmas and birthday combined', says young fan
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Tour de France Femmes stage 8 time trial start times
The final battle for stage victory and yellow unfolds over 22.6 kilometres in Pau -
Niewiadoma faces Tour de France time trial with 'good legs' and groundwork laid
'I came here to fight for a podium, so I will not let go of that' says second-placed Canyon-SRAM rider after aggressive queen stage -
'Minutes not seconds' - Vollering puts controversy behind her, wears yellow jersey into Pau
SD Worx leader loses 20 seconds in drafting penalty but gains nearly two minutes on iconic Tourmalet
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'I raced with my heart' - Annemiek van Vleuten defeated on Col du Tourmalet
'It's obvious that Demi Vollering is on another level' says defending champion after the queen stage at Tour de France Femmes -
Lotta Henttala: I did not hold on to the car
AG Insurance-Soudal-QuickStep says the race jury has damaged their reputation at the Tour de France Femmes -
Marta Cavalli targets Tourmalet stage win at Tour de France Femmes
Italian climber looking forward to iconic climb
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