From the 24th to the 31st of July the women's peloton will take the spotlight in road cycling as the Tour de France Femmes takes off, a much anticipated return which will see eight stages throughout the north of France with stages that have brought in many of the main names from all specialties.
After many years we finally have a Tour de France again for women. In 2009 the La Grande Boucle feminine was organized for the last time. Marianne Vos has been pushing for years to get the Tour de France back on the calendar. La Course was the first step end now it is really back.
Stage seven will see the peloton ride high into the toughest climbs of the Vosges. In what may be considered the queen stage, the field will go up none other than the Petit Ballon, the Col du Platzerwasel and the Grand Ballon before the finale in Le Markstein. It will be a day with several opportunities to attack, and the differences are expected to be big.
CyclingUpToDate prediction:
*** Annemiek Van Vleuten
** Elisa Longo Borghini, Ashleigh Moolman
* Demi Vollering, Katarzyna Niewiadoma, Mavi García