Lead

Norwegian rider Sigrid Haugset won the third stage of the Tour de France Femmes on Monday, seizing the overall lead and the yellow jersey from Dutch rider Lorena Wiebes. Haugset, of the Uno-X Mobility team, launched a solo attack with more than half of the hilly 156.5-kilometre route between Geneva and Poligny still to go, and held off Belgium's Lotte Kopecky to claim her first Tour stage victory.

Coverage comparison

ABC Australia reported that Haugset made her break with 85 kilometres left, at the foot of the category-two Col de la Savine, and was also first across the last listed climb of the day, the category-four Côte de Chaux-Champagny. France 24 — English described the attack as coming less than halfway into the route, on the third of the day's four climbs. Both outlets noted that Haugset's victory made her the first Norwegian rider to win a Tour de France Femmes stage and wear the yellow jersey.

The two reports differed slightly in their descriptions of Kopecky's final challenge. ABC Australia depicted a battle over the last ten kilometres, with Kopecky cutting Haugset's lead to 15 seconds before Haugset increased it again; France 24 said Kopecky dropped back in the closing stages after failing to reel in Haugset. Both agree on the final margin: 1 minute 24 seconds.

Key claims

  • Haugset won the third stage of the Tour de France Femmes, as reported by both ABC Australia and France 24 — English. She finished 1:24 ahead of Lotte Kopecky.
  • Haugset leads the general classification by 2:02 from Kimberley Le Court of Mauritius, with 2023 Tour champion Demi Vollering third, a further four seconds behind, according to ABC Australia.
  • Lorena Wiebes, who won the first two stages, finished more than 20 minutes adrift of Haugset and dropped to 67th in the general classification, as reported by ABC Australia.
  • The stage featured four categorised climbs, according to both outlets.
  • The main favourites for overall victory, including reigning champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot and Demi Vollering, finished together almost three minutes behind Haugset, as reported by France 24 — English.
  • Haugset's quotes, carried by France 24 — English: "I haven't been thinking about it because I never thought it was possible. So standing here, it's unreal," and: "When I went, it wasn't many seconds and I thought she (Kopecky) would catch me. Then I thought I should just drop down to her ... Second is good. But I kept on. The team car was amazing, pushing me. I was thinking about all my team-mates, everyone cheering from home and so I had to give it my all. I can't believe that Lotte didn't catch me. All done in the Norwegian jersey too, it's fantastic."