Évita Muzic’s dream of successful atop Alpe d’Huez grew to become more and more troublesome to achieve when race officers enforced a barrage after she took a nature break simply forward of the penultimate climb at Col du Glandon on the ultimate stage 8 on the Tour de France Femmes.
Regardless of the setback, the FDJ-SUEZ rider completed third atop Alpe d’Huez and simply off the rostrum within the basic classification, leaving the 25 12 months previous as the highest French rider within the general classification.
“I’m upset to not end on the rostrum, however the three ladies in entrance of me had been simply higher than me,” stated Muzic of her place within the closing GC standings.
Muzic completed the eight-stage race in fourth behind the general winner Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM), runner-up Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) and third-placed Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck).
The FDJ-SUEZ rider revealed to the media that after the barrage – which stops group vehicles from transferring to the again of the group to keep away from them getting used to assist dropped riders rejoin – she was pressured to chase for practically 20km to get again to the peloton earlier than the primary HC ascent at 98.5km into the 149.9km race.
As soon as again within the area, she could not reply to the assaults of Vollering and Rooijakkers on its steep slopes, however she had sufficient power to type a part of the chase group.
Additionally within the preliminary chase had been Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck), Gaia Realini and Lucinda Model (Lidl-Trek), Cédrine Kerbaol (Ceratizit-WNT) and Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance coverage-Soudal).
The most recent race content material, interviews, options, evaluations and professional shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!
“I used to be not at my greatest on the Glandon. I finished to pee, and the commissaries blocked me from coming again to the peloton. I used to be upset for this,” Muzic stated.
“Fortunately, I had Grace [Brown] with me. It was 20km full gasoline to come back again within the bunch, and it price me power on the Glandon. I missed Demi and Pauliena within the entrance. However I felt higher for Alpe d’Huez.”
Évita Muzic (FDJ-SUEZ) in pursuit throughout stage 8 of the Tour de France Femmes (Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
The chase group was diminished to simply three as Muzic, Niewiadoma, and Realini set a quick tempo up the 21 hairpin turns, attempting to cut back the hole to the 2 leaders, which had dropped to 35 seconds mid-climb, however in any other case hovered at one minute.
“In a single second, I used to be serious about the stage victory as a result of we had been coming again a bit bit, and I wished to maneuver up on the GC. My group did nice work all week, and though it isn’t a podium, fourth on GC is the most effective I may do,” Muzic stated.
FDJ-SUEZ had one of many strongest squads through the eight levels, at all times current on the entrance within the flatter days through the Grand Départ within the Netherlands and within the closing two mountain levels this weekend.
“I misplaced an excessive amount of time within the first a part of the week. Possibly, for me, it will be higher if we had extra mountain levels on the Tour de France. I skilled quite a bit on the brink on the lengthy climbs. It was the primary time in my life that I feel it paid off,” Muzic stated.
“However possibly I used to be lacking a little bit of punch for the stage in Liège that was wanted for the GC ultimately, however we’d like to consider this for subsequent 12 months.”
Muzic stated that though she did not win on Alpe d’Huez, she is happy together with her efficiency and the ultimate outcome on the Tour de France Femmes.
“The environment was superb on Alpe d’Huez. I dreamed of the victory and was near coming again. Ultimately, I did my all.”
Get limitless entry to all of our protection of the 2024 Tour de France Femmes – together with breaking information and evaluation reported by our journalists on the bottom from each stage because it occurs and extra. Discover out extra.
