The organisers of the Tour de France Femmes have persistently raised the bar for every version, particularly with regards to its mountain passes. In 2022, the occasion was routed up Le Markstein and La Tremendous Planche des Belles Filles, and final yr it took on Col d’Aspin and the Col du Tourmalet.
This yr, they’ve upped the ante but once more, with the race set to finish on a excessive atop probably the most iconic ascent in Tour de France historical past—Alpe d’Huez.
For the primary time in biking historical past, the girl who claims the victory may have her identify etched into one of many ascent’s fabled bends and Évita Muzic is one in every of a handful of French riders eyeing the stage win and that recognition together with Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich PostNL) and Marion Bunel (St Michel-Mavic-Auber93).
“It is going to be the stage that I might wish to win. I do know the climb, however I have to have the legs greater than to know the climb. For certain, I feel it is going to assist, too, have my household and associates there,” Muzic advised Cyclingnews.
A convention within the males’s Tour de France, every of the 21 hairpin bends is called after not less than one rider. The twenty first bend is called after Fausto Coppi, who received the Tour de France in 1949 and 1952. Different riders honoured with bends embrace Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, and Bernard Hinault.
“It could be superb to win and have my identify on the climb, particularly for a French rider. I am excited and can do my finest to attempt to win and to do my finest consequence within the classification. It’s no shock that the individual with the legs will win it,” Muzic mentioned.
Muzic got here into this Tour de France Femmes as one of many key contenders within the general classification, and she is presently ninth general at 1:25 behind yellow jersey Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM). Defending champion Demi Vollering (SD Worx) is simply forward in eighth place at 1:15 again, having misplaced the yellow jersey in a crash on stage 5.
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The peloton accomplished the primary of two closing mountain phases on Saturday. It was the longest stage on the Tour at 166.4km with a closing climb to Le Grand-Bornand, which surprisingly resulted in a GC stalemate between Niewiadoma and Vollering as Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance coverage – Soudal) took the victory from the breakaway.
“Everybody checked out one another, particularly Kasia and Demi. Perhaps Demi is a bit afraid of Kasia. I used to be anticipating her to do the climb full fuel, however lastly, no,” Muzic mentioned.
“I attempted to assault, too, however I had everybody behind me. It was not so steep, so I could not do the climb full fuel. My crew did an excellent job. We’ve a powerful crew. Grace [Brown] was robust. Tomorrow it needs to be simpler to achieve a while gaps.”
Muzic’s FDJ-SUEZ crew have been the strongest on the ascent to Le Grand-Bornand, with a number of riders nonetheless within the choice to assist their chief. In distinction, Niewiadoma and Vollering have been left with one rider every till they have been in the end remoted on the higher slopes of the climb, ending third and fourth on the day, whereas Muzic completed fifth.
“It was our technique, and we’re a powerful crew, and I am pleased with our work and our ladies. That’s the reason I needed to assault, to attempt to make a little bit of a distinction,” she mentioned.
On Sunday, the peloton will deal with 149.9km that begins in Le Grand-Bornand and canopy three main ascents: Col de Tamié (9.5km at 4%), after which the Col du Glandon (19.7km at 7.2%) earlier than reaching Alpe d’Huez (13.8km at 8.1%) the place the general champion will likely be topped.
“I feel will probably be a small group, and the final three kilometres are steep, so that you needn’t push full fuel as a result of it is so exhausting. Solely the pure climbers will likely be on the high,” Muzic mentioned.
“The final climb will likely be full fuel. If Demi desires to win the yellow jersey, she has to, and after, will probably be one-by-one and transferring up the GC.”
It stays to be seen who will triumph on Alpe d’Huez and have her identify etched into one in every of its bends or who will win the general title on the 2024 Tour de France Femmes.
For Muzic, will probably be her final probability to safe a stage win at her residence Grand Tour this season, and she or he is hoping so as to add a Tour stage to her victories on the Vuelta and Giro.
“I’ll attempt to have a stage win and full my three Grand Tour victories.”
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