As it happened: GC riders battle it out as race lead changes yet again on Tour de France Femmes stage 8

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Tour de France Femmes 2026 – Stage 8 preview

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Race Situation

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Bonjour and welcome to Cyclingnews‘ live updates of stage 8 at the Tour de France Femmes 2026!

Today is the longest stage of the race with a tough route that takes on four category four climbs along the route with two of them coming in the final 20km. That said, it is expected to be a sprint with Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) saying her team are going all in for her…

>>> Tour de France Femmes 2026 stage 8 preview – Longest stage at 171.9km could end in a mass sprint

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Starting in Sisteron the route gradually climbs almost constantly for the first 77km with the rest of the day almost entirely being downhill before the final 20km where the climbs come before a mad dash to the line in Nice.

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Teams have been completing sign on and rider presentation in Sisteron before the start that will come in roughly half an hours time. 13:40 local time is when the neutral start is scheduled.

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Yesterday was a very special day for Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney as the Canyon-SRAM rider moved into yellow for the first time since she was crowned overall winner in 2024. She has two days to go but they aren’t straightforward in the slightest!

>>> ‘A payback for all the second and third places’ – Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney pulls out all the stops to move within reach of second Tour de France Femmes title

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Unfortunately, one rider didn’t make the time cut on Mont Ventoux yesterday. Charlotte Kool (Alpecin-Premier Tech) missed it and is out of the race.

>>> Charlotte Kool leaves the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift after finishing outside the time limit on the punishing stage to Mont Ventoux

Breaking news!

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike) will not start today’s stage after feeling unwell over night. The defending champion has had a Tour to forget.

Temperatures are expected to be in the mid to high 30s today with the current temperature in Sisteron sitting at 33°c.

Make sure to vote in our ‘have your say’ section and comment below who you pick is for the day. It could be one of the most open stages of the whole week.

Five minutes until the neutral start.

Neutral start

The riders roll out for what is a rather long 10.5km neutralised start to the day as they leave Sisteron.

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Read all the analysis from yesterday’s astonishing stage…

>>> Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney reigns as queen of Mont Ventoux, but the Tour de France Femmes crown is still up for grabs – Analysis

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The top three in GC are split by just 39″ with Niewiadoma-Phinney, Vollering and Reusser all looking like they could potentially take the crown tomorrow in Nice.

The riders are all set for the racing today…

Un midi au départ de Le Tour de France Femmes : Nice, on arrive ! 💪#TDFF2026 🎥 Lisa Guérin

— @teamcofidis.bsky.social (@teamcofidis.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2026-08-08T11:50:10.332Z

Niewiadoma-Phinney wears yellow but also has the green numbers for most combative rider after her superb performance yesterday on Mont Ventoux.

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The riders are still very much in the neutral zone as they leave Sisteron.

To get to Nice from Sisteron the organisers could have chosen a brutal day in the Maritime Alps. But, after the finish on Mont Ventoux yesterday and the laps around Col d’Eze tomorrow, they have gone with this ‘flatter’ terrain to give some potential to recover a bit on the bike. That said, with the neutral the riders are going 182km.

171.9km to go

Racing begins on stage 8 of the Tour de France Femmes 2026!

Ma Petite Entreprise launch a rider on the first attack of the day to try and form the early breakaway.

All together for the moment.

First look at Niewiadoma-Phinney decked out in yellow. But she hasn’t gone all out just yet.

A look at Niewiadoma-Phinney’s beautiful yellow Canyon Aeroad CFR…

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After 10km of racing the peloton is still all together despite a few skirmishes to try and form a break.

Attack

Daniek Hengeveld (Visma-Lease a Bike)

The Dutch time trial champion has a gap of just 12″ over the peloton.

It looks like Hengeveld may be heading back to the peloton again with 8″ now splitting her from the bunch.

Hengeveld caught by the peloton. All together again.

Before Hengeveld was caught a rider from EF Education-Oatly jumped across the gap. This basically made the catch happen faster.

150km to go

All together at the moment with 40km to the top of the first climb of the day. It is basically climbing all the way to the summit from now but officially the Col des Robines is 2.6km long with an average gradient of 4.6%.

Attack

Lieke Nooijen (Visma-Lease a Bike)

The Dutch national road race champion now goes after her teammate launched earlier. Once again, she only has about 5″ on the bunch with multiple riders closing down or trying to join.

Nooijen back in the peloton again.

Demi Vollering (FDJ United-SUEZ) really regretted the way she raced yesterday…

>>> ‘I really should have closed the gap straight away’ – Demi Vollering harbours Mont Ventoux regrets as Niewiadoma-Phinney soars into Tour de France Femmes lead

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As did Marlen Reusser (Movistar)…

>>> ‘Really stupid from both of us’ – Marlen Reusser regrets mark-out tactics with Demi Vollering as yellow jersey sails away at Tour de France Femmes

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Attack!

Maeva Squiban (UAE Team L’IMAD)
Loes Adegeest (Lidl-Trek)

They have 50″ on the peloton.

Crash

Alice Coutinho (Mayenne Monbana My Pie)

She is back riding and is just 10″ off the back of the bunch.

Squiban and Adegeest look to be pulling away for the moment, but things can change very quickly.

The gap to the leaders expands to 1’25” over the peloton. It is looking good!

140km to go

The gap continues to grow up to 1’35” as Coutinho gets back in after her crash.

Squiban is the best placed rider in the break at 24’48” down on Niewiadoma-Phinney placing her in 21st place. Adegeest is in 60th at 1:15’51”. Neither are any danger whatsoever. The gap now at 1’40”.

The gap is fluctuating between 1’30” and 1’45” between the two leaders and the peloton.

Attack!

Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike)

The GOAT has taken it upon herself to try and bridge the gap solo. She has 10″ on the peloton.

Vos is swiftly brought back by the bunch with the gap heading to above 2 minutes.

130km to go

Squiban and Adegeest have 2’05” on the peloton. Just 20km to the top of the first climb of the day. Starting in about 17km time.

It is all going well for Adegeest and Squiban so far.

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Attack

Morgane Coston (Ma Petite Entreprise)

She is trying to bridge to Squiban and Adegeest. She currently is 1’45” back and just 15″ ahead of the peloton.

The gap grows. The break are pushing on with Coston now at 2’15” and the peloton a further 20″ back.

It has been very chaotic in the peloton with several riders trying to get up the road. Multiple teams have tried many times but none are getting a gap.

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120km to go

Squiban and Adegeest have 2’35” over Coston and 3’05” over the peloton. The average speed is up at 43.5kph so far.

SD Worx-Protime take control of the peloton with 117km to go to try and bring some order to racing as they look to set up Lorena Wiebes for a sprint. But, as the climbs beckon, maybe order will only be a temporary situation.

The break now have 3’15” over Coston and 4’15” on the peloton as they start the first climb of the day. The category 4 Col des Robines. The climb is 2.6km long with an average of 4.6%.

AG Insurance-Soudal join SD Worx-Protime on the front of the peloton. Perhaps to set up Kim Le Court.

State of play at the moment…

QOM (Col des Robines)

1. Adegeest (LTK) 2pts
2. Squiban (UAD) 1pt

110km to go

Adegeest and Squiban have 5’00” on Coston with the peloton just 45″ behind.

Now about 10km to the top of the next climb, the Col de Toutes Aures. Cat 4, 6.4km long, 3.1% average.

The gap to the peloton goes over six minutes.

Nadia Gontova (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) and Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal) lead the peloton.

100km to go

The peloton change the pace and the gap drops by about 15″ very quickly. Coston now only has 15″ gap on the bunch.

Coston caught by the peloton. 6’00” gap up to Adegeest and Squiban.

Before the break even got away it was certain that Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech) had won the polka-dot jersey. She needs to finish both stages in the time cut, but she can now focus on stage wins.

Liv-AlUla-Jayco doing the work at the front of the peloton with one rider. However, they have Lidl-Trek sat behind her, basically all the riders from that team defending Adegeest’s lead out front.

The break are 500 metres from the top of the Col de Toutes Aures.

QOM (Col de Toutes Aures)

1. Squiban (UAD) 2pts
2. Adegeest (LTK) 1pt

AG Insurance-Soudal and FDJ United-SUEZ rejoin the front of the peloton alongside Liv-AlUla-Jayco with 94km to go. 5’57” up to the break.

It is now a long descent pretty much all the way to the penultimate climb with around 18km to go.

90km to go

The gap drops to 5’44” thanks to Justine Ghekiere of AG Insurance-Soudal.

The peloton are upping the pace but they are not closing the gap with much speed. It is holding at 5’50” at the moment with 84km to go.

The riders have crossed the halfway point.

80km to go

The break of Squiban and Adegeest have extended their gap to 6’07” on the peloton with 15km to go until the intermediate sprint.

Squiban taking bidons from the Lidl-Trek and Shimano Neutral Service car as her team car isn’t up there with her, interestingly.

The peloton aren’t really closing the gap at the moment.

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Squiban is now going to get her team car as they pass the peloton.

The gap grows further to 6’20” now.

70km to go

AG Insurane-Soudal and Liv-AlUla-Jayco bring up more riders to work on the front along with a couple from FDJ United-SUEZ with the gap at 6’16”.

Adegeest crossed the line at the intermediate sprint first ahead of Squiban with just under six minutes back to the peloton.

UAE Team L’IMAD faced a lot of criticism at the start of the race as Paula Blasi focuses on supporting Elisa Long-Borghini instead of going for GC herself after an amazing season so far. But now, Longo-Borghini, Blasi and Dominika Włodarczyk are all in the top 10 in 4th, 7th and 8th while also having Squiban in the break today, it is going very well for them…

>>> ‘It just became a massive ball of stress’ – Paula Blasi and UAE Team L’IMAD united on Mont Ventoux after challenging week at Tour de France Femmes

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Squiban was very stressed for some time as the team car was taking a very long time to get up to her. Her car are now trying to calm the French rider down and focus on the race as they have a big chance to take a stage.

Meanwhile, Wiebes coasts across the intermediate sprint and takes 17 points.

Intermediate sprint (Puget-Théniers)

1. Loes Adegeest (Lidl-Trek) 25pts
2. Maëva Squiban (UAE Team L’IMAD) 20pts
3. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) 17pts
4. Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx-Protime) 15pts
5. Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) 13pts
6. Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) 11pts
7. Elena Cecchini (SD Worx-Protime) 10pts
8. Évita Muzic (FDJ United-Suez) 9pts
9. Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal) 8pts
10. Lore de Schepper (AG Insurance-Soudal) 7pts
11. Letizia Borghesi (AG Insurance-Soudal) 6pts
12. Mackenzie Coupland (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) 5pts
13. Nadia Gontova (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) 4pts
14. Juliette Berthet (FDJ United-Suez) 3pts
15. Thalita de Jong (Human Powered Health) 2pts

The top 3 in the points classification after that:

1. Wiebes (SDW) 164pts
2. Kopecky (SDW) 98pts
3. Le Court (AGS) 89pts

The gap is starting to come down a bit more now. 5’24” is the gap, but it isn’t coming down quickly at all.

The riders have been cycling through a beautiful part of France.

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In the space of 5km the gap has dropped by about 30″. This is starting to look like it may be starting to be more in favour of the peloton.

50km to go

The gap drops to under five minutes for the first time in a very long time. The peloton are coming back into the game as the leading duo tire.

Bike change

Chiara Consonni (Canyon-SRAM)

She had a puncture.

Consonni returns to the back of the peloton.

Gap continuing to drop and is at 4’39” to Squiban and Adegeest with the peloton working very hard.

40km to go

Loes Adegeest and Maeva Squiban hold 4’33” over the peloton. This is going to be tight in the final. About 20km to the penultimate climb.

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Gap seems to be stabilised around 4’22” between the leader and the peloton.

The pace is on in the peloton.

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Adegeest and Squiban are losing 30″ every 5km. With that calculation, it will be about 10″ roughly by the finish, so that is very touch and go.

This was a few minutes ago. The gap is now much lower.

30km to go

Multiple teams now working hard on the front with SD Worx-Protime also joining in. Squiban and Adegeest now have 3’35” with 30km to go.

Crash!

Nikola Noskova (COF)
Nadia Gontova (LIV)
Alice Coutinho (MMM)
Marine Allione (MMM)

Second crash today for Coutinho.

The peloton is very strung out as the road tightens with nerves going up. Another 5km ridden and another 30″ gone from the gap. 25km to go and the gap is 2’58”.

At this rate, the riders out front have a leeway of 30″ on the current time loss rate. However, they have two cat 4 climbs and a 400 metre kicker of 17% where the peloton will definitely claim those spare 30″, so this should be going the way of the peloton in Nice.

Marion Bunel (TVL) has found herself out of the back due to the pace. She continues to struggle at this race.

Lore De Schepper (AGS) also now dropped from the peloton after working hard for Kim Le Court.

20km to go

The gap drops under 2 minutes for the first time in a long time as the climbs begin very soon.

Niewiadoma-Phinney has had a very quiet day in the peloton wearing yellow. Nowhere near the front for the whole day.

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Movistar and EF Education-Oatly both come to the front now to join the pace setting. The latter surely looking at Cedrine Kerbaol for a descent attack into Nice.

Onto the Côte de Colomars they go. The cat 4 climb is 1.4km long with an average gradient of 5.4% as Zoe Backstedt comes to the front with her leader Niewiadoma-Phinney on her wheel.

QOM (Côte de Colomars)

1. Squiban (UAD) 2pts
2. Adegeest (LTK) 1pt

FDJ United-SUEZ and Human Powered Health move up to the front and push Canyon-SRAm out.

Crash!

Maeva Squiban (UAD)

She slid out on the descent after taking a few too many risks. She looks very panicked. Adegeest now solo out front.

Squiban got back riding and was very quick to her feet to get going again. However, she has now settled down and she can’t hold the handlebars and looks in a lot of pain.

Crash

Usoa Ostolaza (LAB)

The Spanish rider goes down in the peloton a couple of corners after the one Squiban came down.

Squiban screaming with pain as she was being treated by the medic bike. We didn’t need to see that.

Squiban still hasn’t been caught by the peloton but Adegeest is still out front and pushing hard.

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Squiban caught by the peloton with 12km to go. Visma-Lease a Bike move up to the front likely for Marianna Vos.

The peloton spread across the road with multiple teams leading the way in colour order.

10km to go

Loes Adegeest has 43″ on the peloton and is giving her all. But, the climbing to come is going to be hard to hold on over the top.

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Onto the final categorised climb of the Côte de la Ginestière. 2.5km at 4.4%. FDJ United-SUEZ leads with Franziska Koch leading the way with Vollering in third wheel.

Koch turning herself inside out on this climb with Juliette Berthet on her wheel with Vollering. Then it is all the other big GC riders including the yellow jersey. But, significantly, also Wiebes.

Koch swings off with Berthet taking over. The white jersey of Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon-SRAM) starting to struggle.

Adegeest caught by the Berthet led peloton.

Wiebes dropped! They still have Kopecky in the lead group, though.

Berthet swings off the front and Celia Gery takes over for Vollering,

Gery leads ahead of Vollering, Niewiadoma-Phinney, Longo-Borghini, Le Court, Blasi, Kerbaol, Reusser, De Vriees, Niedermaier, Włodarczyk and a couple of others holding on as they crest the climb.

QOM (Côte de la Ginestière)

1. Gery (FST) 2pts
2. Vollering (FST) 1pt

It is now a gradual descent where you need to stay on the pedals before they turn onto an absolute wall of just 700 metres at 17%.

Attack!

Demi Vollering (FST)

She goes clear with Longo-Borghini and Niewiadoma-Phinney bridging the gap.

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The yellow jersey is struggling to get onto the wheel as the Italian champion makes it to Vollering.

Vollering goes again but Niewiadoma-Phinney finds her power and makes it to Vollering.

Attack!

Demi Vollering (FST)

She has the gap! Niewiadoma-Phinney and Longo-Borghini can not follow the European champion. She is flying down this rapid descent but she has two superb descenders chasing her.

5km to go

Vollering has taken 22″ already and is victual yellow jersey. Niewiadoma-Phinney and Longo-Borghini have so much to close here. Vollering only needs 16″ to take yellow from Niewiadoma-Phinney.

4km to go and the gap closes to 9″. Some incredible power being put down by Longo-Borghini in this chase. Can she save this yellow jersey for Niewiadoma-Phinney?

Vollering turns left onto the Promenade des Anglais. Just 7″ splits her and the chase of Longo-Borghini and Niewiadoma-Phinney. This is tight!

Longo-Borghini is riding for time as she has a lot of it to close on Reusser in the chase for the podium.

2km to go. The gap continues to grow and Niewiadoma-Phinney can see her yellow jersey disappear up the road.

Vollering is virtual leader once again.

Flamme Rouge!

The final 1000 metres of racing today for Vollering. 17″ back to Niewiadoma-Phinney and Longo-Borghini.

500 metres to go. Yellow is changing hands.

Demi Vollering wins stage 8 of the Tour de France Femmes 2026!

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The clock starts ticking… And Vollering is the new yellow jersey of the Tour de France Femmes with one day to go with a handful of seconds in it!

Le Court leads in the chase group ahead of Kopecky and the rest.

Here is how the top 10 on the stage look…

Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney spoke to various media outlets after the stage calling out FDJ United-Suez’s tactics:

“I was annoyed at the beginning of the climb because Gery, on purpose, just blocked me to the barriers where I had to stop pedalling. I feel like, if they want to compete they should compete fair play and not look to block me on the barriers because I feel it is so childish. Honestly, I lost all the respect for them for that.”

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The drama continued after the finish in Nice as Niewiadoma-Phinney confronted Gery while the French champion was being interviewed by international media.

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Vollering said this after the stage: “In a stage race, you live day by day. So you can be disappointed tonight, but then the next morning you need to put on a new mask and you go again. You try again, you make a plan with the team.

“I think this is proof that if you really believe in something, if you really dream big about something, then it doesn’t matter what it needs to take, how much pain it will cost you.”

Read more in the link below…

>>> Tour de France Femmes: Demi Vollering seizes maillot jaune with searing late attack

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A big win for Vollering in Nice.

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Vollering now leads the Tour de France Femmes by just 8″ over Niewiadoma-Phinney with one stage to go. Reusser slips to 1’12” down with Longo-Borghini at over 3 minutes.

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Wiebes extended her lead in the points classification thanks to her taking 17 points in the intermediate sprint.

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Here is what the GC looks like after stage 8 with just one day to go!

Canyon-SRAM are still well in the fight for yellow and also continue to hold white as Antonia Niedermaier holds onto her 1’11” lead over Paula Blasi (UAE Team L’IMAD).

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Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech) continues to hold the polka dot jersey. She had won it mathematically before today even started. She now has to focus on finishing and may try for a stage win as well.

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Loes Adegeest (Lidl-Trek) was awarded the most combative rider award after her terrific ride in the breakaway alongside Maeva Squiban (UAE team L’IMAD) who crashed on the descent of the penultimate climb. Adegeest was caught on the final categorised climb with around 9km to go.

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And that brings out live report to a close for today. That was another incredible stage at the Tour de France Femmes with a very dramatic day still to come on stage 9 tomorrow. Make sure to join us again for that one. Until then, keep an eye on all the latest reaction, analysis and previews on our home page. Au revoir and have a good rest of your day.

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