Katarzyna Niewiadoma of Poland won her first Women's Tour de France title by a mere four seconds, one of the closest margins in the event's history, men or women. Niewiadoma, riding for Canyon-SRAM Racing, held off a fierce challenge from the reigning champion, Demi Vollering of the Netherlands. The final stage, which concluded on the grueling Alpe d'Huez, saw Vollering secure a stage win and close in on Niewiadoma's lead, but she fell just short of overtaking her.
“Four seconds seem to be magical now,” Niewiadoma said. “Throughout my whole career there were so many times I missed out on victories. I feel like this week was perfect for me and my team. To be able to win big races, you need everything on your side.”
Niewiadoma's victory was particularly notable given the dramatic events of the race. In the fifth stage, Vollering was involved in a significant crash, losing crucial time and seemingly jeopardizing her chances of retaining the title. However, she mounted an impressive comeback, reducing the time gap by the final stage to just over a minute. During the last 150 km stretch, Vollering made a strong push, briefly overtaking Niewiadoma while climbing the Col du Glandon.
"I just ate everything I had in my pockets, drank a lot of fluids, and then I thought, 'Okay, I'm ready to go again,'" Niewiadoma told CyclingNews.
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{{/usCountry}}"I just ate everything I had in my pockets, drank a lot of fluids, and then I thought, 'Okay, I'm ready to go again,'" Niewiadoma told CyclingNews.
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{{/usCountry}}Despite struggling during the ascent, Niewiadoma managed to regroup in the final 5 km, regaining enough time to maintain her overall lead. The result was a tense and emotional finish, with both riders anxiously awaiting the confirmation of the final timings. Niewiadoma’s win was a significant achievement after placing third in the previous two race editions and enduring a disappointing eighth-place finish in the 2024 Olympic road race.
"This is one of the greatest achievements in Polish sport. Bad luck at the Olympics, now a bit of luck, but above all skill," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X.
Niewiadoma completed the eight-stage Tour with a total time of 24 hours, 36 minutes, and 7 seconds, narrowly ahead of Vollering. Pauliena Rooijakkers, another Dutch rider, finished just six seconds behind Vollering to secure third place.
"I went through such a terrible time on that climb. I hated everything, and then, getting to the finish line and realizing I'd won the Tour de France was just crazy! It's overwhelming," she said.
Niewiadoma's win makes her the third different winner in as many editions of the Women's Tour de France.
"It's crazy, to be honest. The whole stage was such a wild rollercoaster," Niewiadoma said. "I feel like all the stars aligned for my team and me this week.”