Bonjour and welcome to Cyclingnews ' live coverage of stage 3 of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift!
After a very brief lunch break we are back again with the riders now turning their attention to the clock as they test their legs in an individual time trial over 6.3km around Rotterdam city centre.
It was a stunning victory for yellow jersey, Charlotte Kool (DFP), this morning in Rotterdam after she timed her kick to the line perfectly to beat rival and former teammate Lorena Wiebes (SDW) on the line to make it two from two for the DSM-Firmenich-PostNL rider. Take a look at our post race report by clicking the link below...
There are a few big names to watch out for this afternoon with the full startlist available by clicking HERE, but here are a select few to watch for (CEST):
Grace Brown (FST) 16:18 Ellen van Dijk (LTK) 16:40 Lucinda Brand (LTK) 16:49 Kristen Faulkner (EFO) 16:50 Anna Henderson (TVL) 16:54 Chloe Dygert (CSR) 16:56 Juliette Labous (DFP) 16:57 Kasia Niewidome (CSR) 17:05 Demi Vollering (SDW) 17:18 Lorena Wiebes (SDW) 17:40 Charlotte Kool (DFP) 17:42
It has been quite the start for Charlotte Kool (DFP). Have a read of what she had to say after stage two this morning...
After a couple of stages of seeing Olympic road race champion, Kristen Faulkner's bike... Now it is the turn of Olympic time trial champion, Grace Brown to show off her stunning golden Lapierre. Also, a view of Remco Evenepoel's new golden road bike as well...
Unfortunately, after multiple crashes this morning, St. Michel-Mavic-Auber93 rider Dilyxine Miermont has been forced to abandon the race.
The first riders have already finished with Maëva Squiban (ARK) holding the fastest time early one with a time of 7'51".
Squiban (ARK) also holds the fastest time at the split as well. Julie van de Velde (AGS) has gone second at the split by just one second.
Van de Velde (AGS) finishes just 3" down on Squiban (ARK) after her effort. This is a rapid course with riders flying through their efforts.
Roland rider, Elena Pirrone has gone fastest at the split by 2" over Squiban (ARK). Potentially a new leader at the finish.
130 rider are left to set off on their rides.
New fastest time
Elena Pirrone (CGS) with a time of 7'44". That is 7" faster than Squiban (ARK).
Gaia Realini (LTK) has set off. Lets see how the co-leader of Lidl-Trek performs against the clock today.
Lizzie Deignan (LTK) has also set off. Not really her forte this but she will look to just get round.
Realini (LTK) down in 11th place at the first split just 10" down. Really good riding by her so far.
Gaia Realini (LTK) finishes 13th at 24" down on the current leader, Elena Pirrone (CGS). That is a big chunk of time to lose with the rest of the favourites yet to start.
Neve Bradbury (CSR) out on course. She has bee safely in the peloton so far. Just 20" down on Kool (DFP). She will want to give her all this afternoon to get the best result possible.
New festest time
Loes Adegeest (FST) 7'30"
Which is 14" faster than Pirrone (CGS).
Bradbury (CSR) coming to the line and is losing a chunk of time. She finishes +45" down on Adegeest (FST). That isn't ideal at all.
(Image credit: Alex Broadway/Getty Images)
Inside the final 100 riders left to set off on their rides.
Tamara Dronova-Balabolina (CGS) is out on course at the moment. It is her 31st birthday today.
Tamara Dronova-Balabolina (CGS) is going pretty well and at the finish she comes across the line +18" down on Adegeest (FST) in third place.
Ruth Edwards of Human Powered Health has set off on her ride.
Time for the bike check of Grace Brown (FST)...
Ruth Edwards (HPH) goes third at +16" down at the finish. A solid time by the American rider. Solid effort by her.
Olympic and Australian time trial champion, Grace Brown (FST), sets off on her ride. One of the big favourites for today. And also possibly the only time we see that amazing bike in a race.
Anouska Koster (UXM) just missing out on the fastest time as she finishes +14" down in third place.
Puncture
Grace Brown (FST)
The Olympic champion with a rear puncture and that is the end of her chances today. Also the last we shall see of that golden bike as she goes onto the Aussie champs bike.
Grace Brown (FST) crosses the line and she finishes +19" down. She probably lost about 30", maybe more, in that bike change.
The polka dot jersey of Cristina Tonetti (LAB) set off on her ride. She will wear that jersey tomorrow too.
French national time trial champion, Audrey Cordon-Ragot (HPH) has set off on her ride. She will be hoping for a very good result today.
Pauliena Rooijakkers (FED) has crossed the line in 5th place just 17" down. That is an excellent ride but the brilliant climber.
Evita Muzic (FST) starts her ride. Her teammates have been rapid so far with Loes Adegeest (FST) leading the way. Grace Brown (FST) missed out on taking the lead thanks to needing a bike change after a puncture. Muzic will be hoping for a good ride out on course.
Audrey Cordon-Ragot (HPH) crosses the line in 6th place at 18" down on Loes Adegeest (FST).
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Shirin van Anrooij (LTK) launches into her ride. She should be right in the mix for the top places this afternoon. Her skills and power from cylocross could help hugely.
Now, Ellen van Dijk (LTK), who looks extremely pumped up for this ride, sets off. Sprinting off the ramp and for about 150m afterwards as well. She is absolutely flying in these early stages.
Evita Muzic (FST) crosses the line 35" down in 37th place. Not what she would've wanted. We shall see how the other big favourites perform.
Liane Lippert (MOV) crosses the line in provisional 10th at just under 20". Good ride by the German.
Ellen van Dijk (LTK) crosses the line just ONE second down on Loes Adegeest (FST). That is astonishing. Adegeest absolutely flew round the course to beat Van Dijk.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Lucinda Brand (LTK) sets off on her ride. Definitely a rider to watch for today's stage. Kristen Faulkner (EFO) launches off the ramp just after her.
Franziska Koch (DFP) crosses the line in third just 10" down on Adegeest (FST).
British national time trial champion, Anna Henderson (TVL), has set off on her ride as she looks to take a brilliant win after her silver medal in the Olympic time trial.
Now, setting off is the world champion, Olympic gold medalist in the team pursuit and bronze in the Olympic time trial.
Kristen Faulkner (EFO) goes fastest at the split.
Lucinda Brand (LTK) finishes third at just under 10" down.
Meanwhile, at the start, Jueliette Labous (DFP) sets off.
Kristen Faulkner (EFO) misses out on the fastest time by +0.77" on Loes Adegeest (FST)! That is incredible for the FDJ-Suez rider as she holds off the double Paris 2024 gold medalist.
Mavi Garcia (LAJ) has set off. Pfeiffer Georgi (DFP) also setting off on her effort. Chloe Dygert (CSR) has gone fastest at the split by one second over Faulkner (EFO).
Anna Henderson (TVL) goes 5th at just 6" down. Very solid ride by the British national time trial champion.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The next rider getting her rider underway is Christina Schweinberger (FED).
New fastest time
Chloe Dygert (CSR) 7:30"35
That is only 0.17" faster than Adegeest (FST). My word!
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Jueliette Labous (DFP) setting a very good time in 7th at just +10" down. Very solid ride by her.
Kasia Niewiadoma (CSR) gets her ride going. She will hope for a very strong ride so that she can keep in touch with the other GC riders.
Pfeiffer Georgi (DFP) slots into 9th at just over 10" down.
Christina Schweinberger (FED) has admitted that she isn't on the same form as last year. She finishes +29" down on Chloe Dygert (CSR). That is a big chunk of time to lose on such a short course.
Kasia Niewiadoma (CSR) comes to the finish and crosses the line just +25" down. Considering this isn't her strength at all, she will be happy with that.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Dutch national time trial champion, Riejanne Markus (TVL), sets off on her ride. She has put a lot of focus on this stage and will hope for a very good ride to get her in with a chance of victory and be in a good GC position.
Demi Vollering (SDW) sets off. The defending champion will want a very solid full gas ride today. She will want to get a big win in the GC fight today.
Mischa Bredewold (SDW) finishes +4" down in 5th place. Emma Norsgaard (MOV) goes +5" down in 6th place.
Riejanne Markus (TVL) finishes +7" down in 8th. But she is gaining time on a lot of GC rivals with that time.
Vollering (SDW) goes 2nd at the time split on exactly the same time as Chloe Dygert (CSR). That is an incredible ride by the GC megastar.
New fastest time
Demi Vollering (SDW) 7'25"
That is 5" faster than Chloe Dygert (CSR). That is incredble. She gained 5" in the second half of the ride. Amazing.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Cédrine Kerbaol (WNT) just 2" down at the split. That is 5th place on the road. Can she pull that back in the same way Vollering (SDW) did against Dygert (CSR)?
Cédrine Kerbaol (WNT) is flying here! She finishes just +5" down in 4th place by the French rider.
Just seven riders left to roll off the ramp.
Marianne Vos (TVL) sets off on her ride in the green jersey. She sprints off the ramp and really looks up for it today.
Into the top three now and third place Lorena Wiebes (SDW) also sprints off the start ramp. She is in a huge gear.
Anniina Ahtosalo (UXM) sets off. just one more rider left to go.
Yellow jersey, Charlotte Kool (DFP), sets off in Rotterdam. Not setting off with the same aggression as Vos (TVL) and Wiebes (SDW).
Demi Vollering (SDW) settles into the hot seat...
Vos (TVL) goes 12th at +8" down on Dygert (CSR) and Vollering (SDW) at the split.
Marianne Vos (TVL) coming to the line +18" down in 16th. I can't see Kool (DFP) going at a similar pace, but I may be wrong.
Lorena Wiebes (SDW) with a superb time as she goes just +9" down in 7th place. That might be good enough for yellow with Vollering (SDW) potentially her main rival for that now. I haven't made the calculations yet, that is something for afterwards.
Anniina Ahtosalo (UXM) comes to the finish +27" in 37th. Solid enough from her.
Charlotte Kool (DFP) coming to the line and she is already in the red. This is going to be close for her but she does lose yellow. +25" down in 33rd place.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Demi Vollering (SDW) wins stage three of the Tour de France Femmes 2024 and goes into the yellow jersey as well. Will she hold onto the jersey for the rest of this race?
1. Demi Vollering (NED) SD Worx-Protime 4:27'54" 2. Lorena Wiebes (NED) SD Worx-Protime +3" 3. Chloe Dygert (USA) Canyon-SRAM +5" 4. Cedrine Kerbaol (FRA) Ceratizit-WNT 5. Charlotte Kool (NED) DSM-Firmenich-PostNL 6. Loes Adegeest (NED) FDJ-Suez all S.T. 7. Kristen Faulkner (USA) EF-Oatly-Cannondale +6" 8. Ellen van Dijk (NED) Lidl-Trek S.T. 9. Mischa Bredewold (NED) SD Worx-Protime +9" 10. Emma Norsgaard (DEN) Movistar +10"
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Demi Vollering (SDW) after her stage winning ride this afternoon via SD Worx-Protime's X post:
"I am very surprised that I managed to win this time trial. Even with a difference of five seconds. I have no idea how that's possible. Although I rode nice and hard. Team leader Anna van der Breggen told me after she did the lap behind another rider that it was really a course for me. I thought, that she said this to motivate me.
"The times I looked down at the power meter I saw that I was doing well. But such a short time trial of 6.3 kilometres is something we do very seldom. I thought this course was more for the sprinters. For the punchy riders like Chloe Dygert. Although I am also a bit explosive. It is very special to win a stage in the Tour de France Femmes in my own country.
"And it is even more wonderful that I can start in yellow tomorrow in Valkenburg. For me, this Tour only starts with the stage from Valkenburg to Liège. The fact that I already have the yellow is a bit of a switch."
The jerseys going into stage four:
Yellow - Demi Vollering (SDW) Green - Charlotte Kool (DFP) Polka dot - Cristina Tonetti (LAB) White - Anniina Ahtosalo (UXM)
Demi Vollering (SDW) goes into the yellow jersey with all the stages that suit her on paper still to come.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Have a read of our post race report with all the reaction from this afternoon's racing in Rotterdam...
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