“I asked Kasia for some help” – Elisa Longo Borghini left chasing Vollering single-handedly as Niewiadoma's Yellow Jersey slips away
CyclingSunday, 09 August 2026 at 13:15
Elisa Longo Borghini was left doing the work behind Demi Vollering as the Dutchwoman rode towards Stage 8 victory and the yellow jersey at the Tour de France Femmes, with Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney unable to contribute despite being asked for help.
The UAE Team ADQ leader had helped Niewiadoma-Phinney regain contact after Vollering's first acceleration on the steep final ramp, but when the Dutchwoman opened the decisive gap, Longo Borghini took up the chase with the yellow jersey fixed to her wheel.
“I tried to chase and I also asked Kasia for some help, but maybe she was on the limit too,” Longo Borghini said afterwards.
Vollering eventually finished 17 seconds ahead of Longo Borghini and Niewiadoma-Phinney. With the bonus seconds added, the 15-second deficit she had carried into the stage became an eight-second advantage over the defending champion ahead of Sunday's finale.
Longo Borghini takes responsibility for the chase
FDJ United-SUEZ had already reduced the favourites' group with a sustained push through the closing kilometres before Vollering attacked. Niewiadoma-Phinney initially lost contact but regained the wheel with help from Longo Borghini before Vollering accelerated again. This time the gap remained open.
Longo Borghini set the pace behind as the pair chased towards the summit, while Niewiadoma-Phinney stayed on her wheel without coming through. The Italian was also racing for her own position, with every second important in her attempt to close on Marlen Reusser and the overall podium. Vollering continued to increase her advantage ahead. “She was basically a motorbike in the final kilometres,” Longo Borghini said.
Niewiadoma-Phinney's inability to contribute was not interpreted as unwillingness by Longo Borghini. “Maybe she was on the limit too,” was her assessment after a finale in which the yellow jersey had already been forced to close Vollering's first move.
Longo Borghini and Niewiadoma-Phinney remained together from the summit to the finish. “We basically arrived together from the moment we crested the climb,” she explained.
Vollering proves too strong in Nice
Longo Borghini still secured second place and another strong result after finishing third on Mont Ventoux one day earlier. “I felt really good in Nice. She was a bit of a damn nuisance, she got away from me in the last 50 metres,” she joked, before immediately giving Vollering full credit. “I’m joking when I say that, of course. She was incredibly strong, Demi.”
Her second place moved her to fourth overall at 3:05 from the new race leader. Reusser remains third at 1:12, leaving Longo Borghini less than two minutes from the final podium position.
The Italian had already lost time earlier in the Tour after a dropped chain forced a bike change during the time trial, but her performances on Mont Ventoux and in Nice have kept her within striking distance of the podium before the last mountain stage. “Demi really deserves credit today because she put in an incredible performance,” Longo Borghini said.
Read also
Podium still within reach on final day
Sunday’s 99.2-kilometre finale around Nice will decide the 2026 Tour de France Femmes, with Vollering eight seconds ahead of Niewiadoma-Phinney, Reusser at 1:12 and Longo Borghini at 3:05.
Longo Borghini therefore enters the final day with her own target still very much alive after spending the end of Stage 8 trying unsuccessfully to bring Vollering back. “It’s going to be hard and, like I said the other day, you just go all-out and then we’ll see,” she said.
After second on Stage 8 and third on Mont Ventoux, Longo Borghini arrives at the final stage still within range of Reusser's podium place. Niewiadoma-Phinney, meanwhile, needs to find eight seconds on Vollering after reaching the decisive chase in Nice without enough left to share the workload.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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