Lead
Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney of Poland claimed a solo victory on the seventh stage of the Tour de France Femmes, a demanding ascent of Mont Ventoux, and in doing so took the overall lead from Switzerland's Marlen Reusser. The 31-year-old, who won the 2024 edition, now tops the general classification, leading Demi Vollering by 15 seconds and Reusser by 39 seconds with two stages left.
Coverage comparison
Both ABC Australia and RFI — English reported Niewiadoma-Phinney's stage win and her move into the yellow jersey. ABC Australia emphasized the decisive nature of her attack and her emotional reaction, while RFI — English framed the result as a surprise sprung on her rivals, focusing on Reusser's assessment of the race dynamics. Both outlets quoted Niewiadoma-Phinney's post-race comments, with ABC Australia highlighting her physical exhaustion and RFI — English also including Reusser's reaction.
Key claims
The stage featured a 15.7km ascent of Mont Ventoux, a climb known for its barren, lunar landscape and its history in the men's Tour, including the 1967 death of British rider Tom Simpson. Niewiadoma-Phinney attacked about 9km from the summit, a move that Reusser and Vollering did not follow, instead watching each other. Reusser later described the lapse as "stupid," saying she had urged Vollering to work together but they "played to her advantage." Vollering, however, dropped Reusser in the closing stages of the climb, finishing 1 minute 16 seconds behind the winner and clawing back about 30 seconds on the final section.
Niewiadoma-Phinney, who had started the day third overall, 1 minute 17 seconds down, said after the stage, "I'm just so tired and so blown away with what just happened." She added that she saw her parents on the roadside during the climb, with her father crying, and thought, "I just need to make them proud." Reusser praised the winner, saying, "She was incredible today, really, well done for her."
Niewiadoma-Phinney's win was her first Tour stage victory; she won the 2024 title without claiming a stage. She explained her early attack was partly due to the wind, saying it would be harder to drop her rivals on the upper, more exposed sections of the mountain.
Perspectives
Niewiadoma-Phinney: The Polish rider expressed overwhelming emotion and fatigue after her victory, describing the joy of riding and the motivation from her family's surprise visit. She saw her attack as a deliberate tactic to counter the wind conditions.
Reusser: The Swiss rider conceded that she and Vollering made a tactical error by not collaborating, allowing Niewiadoma-Phinney to gain an advantage. She acknowledged the winner's performance as "incredible" while lamenting her own role in the outcome.