"She only wants one thing, and that is to win” - Puck Pieterse starring on Tour de France Femmes debut
Cycling
A star of the cyclocross and mountain bike calendars, Puck Pieterse's road racing career has been somewhat limited so far. In her first ever stage race at the 2024 Tour de France Femmes however, the 22-year-old has shone, including her first ever professional road victory ahead of Demi Vollering on stage 4.
When it was first announced that Pieterse would be making her debut in women's cycling's biggest race, after narrowly missing out on the medals in the mountain bike at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, the Dutchwoman announced intentions for a White Jersey challenge and stage win hunt. Being her first ever stage race, there were some doubts but 4 stages in, Pieterse has been almost faultless.
“When Puck participates, she only wants one thing, and that is to win," Fenix-Deceuninck sports director Michel Cornelisse proudly reflects of his young starlet's performances so far, in conversation with Cycling Weekly. “I think she proved today (stage 4) what she’s capable of. If she can win here in Liège today, why couldn’t she win Liège Bastogne Liège?”
Currently leading the Queen of the Mountains classification, Pieterse has also shown is capable in more than just the Classics-type parcours. As such, as the race nears the high mountains, Cornelisse and Fenix-Deceuninck are only growing in confidence. “We have two cards to play with. We know Pauliena Rooijakkers can handle the high mountains and I have no doubt Pieterse can hold her own in the mountains,” he explains. “She’s in such good form. She’s certainly not going to hand the win over.”
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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The numbers behind the phenomenal stage win of Puck Pieterse @LeTourFemmes avec @GoZwift
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