Urska Zigart blows golden chance to win Tour de Romandie Féminin 2025 after downhill error; Elise Chabbey seals GC victory

On the final day of the 2025 Tour de Romandie Féminin, Urska Zigart was on the brink of the biggest win of her professional career. Clad in the yellow jersey and with the full backing of her AG Insurance - Soudal team, she entered the last stage around Aigle with an 8-second cushion and a clear plan to defend it.

But in the high-stakes terrain of Swiss Romandie — all sharp climbs, technical descents, and local pride — nothing is ever guaranteed.

Zigart, the Slovenian climber and partner of Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar, had looked poised and confident after seizing the race lead on Saturday. “I’m happy to be leaving with the yellow jersey today,” she said post-stage. “Tomorrow, we’ll give it our all. Elise Chabbey is clearly my main rival — she showed her strength already — so we’ll have to stay sharp, control the race, and play to our strengths.”

For most of Sunday’s finale, she did exactly that.

The stage, a lumpy circuit around Aigle packed with punchy climbs and quick descents, was always going to reward aggression. Chabbey, riding on home roads for FDJ - Suez and cheered on by a passionate Swiss crowd, timed her move to perfection. On the final significant rise of the day, she launched an explosive attack — the kind Zigart had flagged just 24 hours earlier. But when the moment came, Zigart couldn’t follow.

The AG Insurance - Soudal leader lost contact, and worse was yet to come. On the descent, under pressure and perhaps overreaching in her effort to limit the damage, she misjudged a corner and veered wide, ceding precious seconds. The gap to Chabbey ballooned to 20 seconds in an instant.

Despite a gritty and committed chase in the final kilometres, Zigart could only claw back part of the deficit — ultimately finishing 7 seconds short of reclaiming the virtual lead. Chabbey, though edged out by Blanka Vas in the sprint for the stage win, secured the general classification title — a shock result, but a deserved one.

Zigart’s performance over the weekend nonetheless signals progress. Her climbing was sharp, her tactical awareness clear, and her leadership in the yellow jersey showed a rider growing in confidence and stature. But cycling, as ever, is a sport of narrow margins — and in Romandie, one missed apex proved decisive.

As for Chabbey, the local heroine pulled off a perfectly timed strike and gave the Swiss fans a fairy-tale ending. Her consistency across the weekend and willingness to gamble when it mattered most earned her a victory no one can begrudge.

But for Zigart — and perhaps for Pogacar watching from the roadside throughout the week — this one will sting.