"I came here for the podium but I have to be proud" - Sarah Gigante defeated by downhill deficiencies on final stage of 2025 Tour de France Femmes

It wasn’t the ending Sarah Gigante or AG Insurance – Soudal had dreamed of. Starting the final stage of the Tour de France Femmes in second overall, the 24-year-old Australian endured a brutal, solitary day in the mountains, ultimately slipping to sixth on GC after a punishing descent off the Col de Joux Plane.

“I got dropped quickly in the technical, long downhill sections,” the Australian climber admitted honestly in her post-stage interview after the finish, managing a tired smile despite the clear disappointment. “I didn’t feel strong all day — it became a super hard, lonely stage.”

It was a cruel twist in what had been a breakout Tour for the Aussie climbing specialist. The team had gone all-in on the final day, lighting up the race on the Joux Plane — but when the road pointed downhill, Gigante’s known weakness on descents proved decisive. As the GC group pressed on without her, the time gaps only grew.

“My legs hurt,” she said, half-jokingly. “Of course I wanted a better result in the general classification. I came here for the podium. But I have to be proud when I look back. I gave it everything.”

While the team’s performance unravelled on the final climb, Belgian champion Justine Ghekiere — Gigante’s key lieutenant throughout the race — was quick to shoulder the blame. “We just weren’t there enough for Sarah after the Joux Plane,” Ghekiere admitted. “We all had a bad day, I think. Already on the first climb, it was brutal. I had to drop and chase back, and when we hit the Joux Plane, I just had to go all-out because I knew I wouldn’t survive the climb.”

Despite Ghekiere’s self-criticism, Gigante firmly rejected the notion that her teammates had let her down. “No, my team was amazing,” she said. “I just didn’t have the legs to finish it off.”

Though the stage ended in disappointment, there was no bitterness — only resolve. A hug from Ghekiere at the finish line said more than any post-race debrief. The team’s unity, even in defeat, stood out. “We can be proud of our Tour,” Gigante said. “We’ll be back next year. I think everyone has seen that we’re not a small team anymore.”