KASIA NIEWIADOMA PHINNEY crushed her two rivals Marlen Reusser and Demi Vollering to win the Tour de France Femmes Queen stage on Friday and leap into the overall lead.
Starting the day in third place 1:17 down, the Polish rider attacked a massive 8km from the summit of Mont Ventoux in the Provence region of southern France.
By the time all three main contenders had crossed the line, she held a 15-second lead overall on Vollering, and Reusser had folded to third overall at 39 seconds.
“I’m just so tired and so blown away with what just happened,” said Niewiadoma Phinney.
“As we started to climb Mont Ventoux, I looked right and I saw my parents. They made a surprise visit, I could see my dad crying, and I was like, ‘I just need to make them proud.’”
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Irish duo Fiona Mangan and Mia Griffin were part of an 11-rider breakaway as Friday’s race neared the bottom of its iconic climb before Niewiadoma Phinney, who won the title in 2024, backed herself with a brave early attack.
The 31-year-old explained her early attack was due to the wind and how it would be harder on the upper lunar landscapes of the mountain to drop the other two.
Niewiadoma Phinney eventually crested the 1910m altitude finish line 1:16 ahead of Dutch rider Vollering with Elisa Longo Borghini third another 26 sec off the pace just ahead of Reusser.
Defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot ended 10 minutes down on the day.
The race ends in Nice on Sunday with the title in the balance on the hills outside the Riviera city.
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Niewiadoma Phinney seizes Tour de France lead after thrilling Ventoux stage
KASIA NIEWIADOMA PHINNEY crushed her two rivals Marlen Reusser and Demi Vollering to win the Tour de France Femmes Queen stage on Friday and leap into the overall lead.
Starting the day in third place 1:17 down, the Polish rider attacked a massive 8km from the summit of Mont Ventoux in the Provence region of southern France.
By the time all three main contenders had crossed the line, she held a 15-second lead overall on Vollering, and Reusser had folded to third overall at 39 seconds.
“I’m just so tired and so blown away with what just happened,” said Niewiadoma Phinney.
“As we started to climb Mont Ventoux, I looked right and I saw my parents. They made a surprise visit, I could see my dad crying, and I was like, ‘I just need to make them proud.’”
Irish duo Fiona Mangan and Mia Griffin were part of an 11-rider breakaway as Friday’s race neared the bottom of its iconic climb before Niewiadoma Phinney, who won the title in 2024, backed herself with a brave early attack.
The 31-year-old explained her early attack was due to the wind and how it would be harder on the upper lunar landscapes of the mountain to drop the other two.
Niewiadoma Phinney eventually crested the 1910m altitude finish line 1:16 ahead of Dutch rider Vollering with Elisa Longo Borghini third another 26 sec off the pace just ahead of Reusser.
Defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot ended 10 minutes down on the day.
The race ends in Nice on Sunday with the title in the balance on the hills outside the Riviera city.
– © AFP 2026
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ain't no mountain high enough Cycling Demi Vollering Kasia Niewiadoma Phinney tour de france femmes