"It cost her too much energy" - Lance Armstrong pinpoints moment Kasia Niewiadoma lost Tour de France Femmes
CyclingTuesday, 11 August 2026 at 12:30
Lance Armstrong has had his say on the big controversy of the Tour de France Femmes 2026, a critical moment during stage 8 last weekend that led to a change of hands in the yellow jersey as Demi Vollering overtook Kasia Niewiadoma.
Vollering went on to take a decisive victory on Sunday's final stage in Nice, sealing her second yellow jersey and taking a triumphant stage win in the process. Former Men's Tour record holder, Lance Armstrong, thinks that one moment ultimately started the chain of events that put Vollering in yellow.
Unsurprisingly, it's the controversial corner that appeared to show Celia Gery impeding Kasia Niewiadoma from initially following a Demi Vollering attack. Niewiadoma defended her yellow well initally after the attack, as she and Elisa Longo Borghini made it across to the FDJ-Suez leader.
However, Vollering would go solo soon after as Niewiadoma's extra effort to reach the wheel came back to bite, losing the yellow jersey and trailling by 8 seconds ahead of the final stage.
Niewiadoma criticises Gery
Initially, Niewiadoma launched a scathing criticism on Gery, claiming the French champion intentionally forced her into barriers.
"We have all been in that situation: she has ridden a monster stint at the front and is cross-eyed from the exertion. She no longer knows where to move to the side," Armstrong analysed on The Move Podcast.
Armstrong defended Gery and claimed that a mix of fatigue and unawareness led to the incident. FDJ-Suez also insisted that it was not intentional, something Armstrong agrees with.
"She thinks: I have done my job, I have launched my team leader, and I need to get out of the way. It is difficult to see on the video, but it is hard to believe that it was intentional."
Armstrong believes the incident is a part of racing. While not denying that the Canyon//Sram rider was impeded, he believed that it cost her too much energy and ultimately loosened her grip on the yellow jersey.
Demi Vollering and Kasia Niewiadoma on Col d'Èze
Niewiadoma moment cost her too much energy
He added: "It is a fact that Kasia Niewiadoma was hindered in one way or another. Did Demi Vollering's teammate do it on purpose? We will never know. She did return, admittedly, but it cost her too much energy."
On The Move, Armstrong heaped praise on Vollering's decisive victory on stage 9. Labelling her as one of the greatest women's cyclists, he applauded her statement-making attack in the Nice finale rather than focusing on defending her yellow jersey.
“She’s quickly establishing herself as one of the GOATs in women’s cycling,” Armstrong said.
“We thought she was in the perfect position just to control things and make sure she didn’t crash... but she clearly wanted to make a statement. She’s a deserving winner. She was in a perfect position to control the race and avoid a crash… but she clearly wanted to make a point. She’s the deserving winner.”
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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