“It is even more beautiful to finish it off in yellow” – Lorena Wiebes makes Tour de France Femmes history with record seventh stage win
Cycling
Lorena Wiebes described winning in the yellow jersey as an especially satisfying way to claim a record seventh Tour de France Femmes stage victory after Team SD Worx – Protime were forced into an all-in chase in Geneva.
The Dutchwoman made it two wins from the opening two stages of the 2026 race, extending her advantage in both the General and Points Classifications. Her latest success also moved her clear of Marianne Vos and Demi Vollering as the outright record holder for stage victories at the Tour de France Femmes.
Unlike her uphill victory in Lausanne, Wiebes’ second win came after a tense pursuit of Riejanne Markus, whose long-range attack survived until the final 500 metres. SD Worx – Protime committed rider after rider to the chase before Wiebes was left to negotiate the sprint without a conventional lead-out.
“Yes, it makes it so special, but also because once again our team, SD Worx – Protime, worked really hard for it,” Wiebes told TNT Sports. “The girls were chasing full gas in the final to bring back Riejanne Markus, so it is even more beautiful to finish it off in the yellow.”
Kopecky sacrificed as Markus refuses to surrender
Markus attacked with around 40 kilometres remaining and still held approximately 30 seconds approaching the final five kilometres. Nienke Vinke, Mischa Bredewold and Anna van der Breggen were among those used in the pursuit as SD Worx – Protime tried to protect Wiebes’ chance of another stage win.
The gap remained stubbornly open, prompting the team to send Lotte Kopecky into the chase as well. With one of the strongest riders in the race working on the front rather than preparing the sprint, Wiebes knew she would need to find her own route through the finale.
“Markus stayed out in front for a long time and, at one point, we also decided to put Lotte Kopecky into the chase because we needed everyone,” Wiebes explained. “I then knew it was up to me to find my own way.”
Markus was finally reeled in with only 500 metres remaining. Wiebes then moved onto the wheels around her, waited for a route to open and accelerated clear once the sprint began. “I found some good wheels, came out with around 200 metres to go and just launched my speed,” she added.
Wiebes moves clear in Tour record books
Wiebes began Stage 2 level with Vos and Vollering on six Tour de France Femmes stage wins. Success in Geneva took her to seven, secured across four editions of the race since its relaunch in 2022.
Her opening victory in Lausanne had already shown a broader side to her sprinting, with Wiebes responding to Vollering’s attack on the uphill finish before powering clear. Stage 2 required a different solution after her teammates emptied themselves bringing back Markus and left their leader without a final rider to guide her through the closing metres.
The ten bonus seconds collected in Geneva increased Wiebes’ overall lead to 14 seconds over Kim Le Court-Pienaar, with Vollering third at 16 seconds. She also moved to 111 points in the green jersey competition, more than three times the total of her nearest rivals.
The more selective stages will eventually test how long Wiebes can remain in yellow, but her opening two days have already delivered consecutive victories and sole ownership of the Tour de France Femmes stage-win record.
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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