Haugset's Yellow Jersey
Sigrid Haugset Claims Tour Femmes Overall Lead After Dominant Stage 3 Solo Breakaway Win
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Key Points
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Haugset launched her solo attack on the third of the day’s four climbs, the Côte de la Savine, with about 88 km remaining and rode clear to the finish, marking the decisive move that sealed her Stage 3 win.
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There was a high-profile crash on the Col de la Faucille that impacted several top riders, including reigning world champion Magdeleine Vallieres and former Tour winner Demi Vollering.
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Lorena Wiebes, who had won the first two stages, was dropped on the Col de la Faucille early in the race and finished more than 20 minutes behind the lead.
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Marianne Vos reached the podium in third place on Stage 3, underscoring the depth of the field behind Haugset.
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Haugset herself described the moment as unreal, saying she never thought a stage win and the yellow jersey would be possible, highlighting the emotional significance of the breakthrough.
Norwegian national champion Sigrid Haugset won Stage 3 of the Tour de France Femmes on Tuesday, riding solo for 88 kilometers to take the stage and the overall lead. She is the first Norwegian rider ever to wear the yellow jersey in the race, according to Free Malaysia Today.
Haugset attacked on the Côte de la Savine climb with roughly 88 km left to race. No one could follow. She held her lead all the way to the finish in Poligny, crossing the line 1 minute 24 seconds ahead of Lotte Kopecky. "I never thought this would be possible," Haugset said, calling the moment unreal for Norwegian cycling, per Cycling Magazine.
How Haugset Rode Away From the Entire Field
Stage 3 covered 156.5 km from Geneva to Poligny and featured four categorized climbs. Haugset made her decisive move on the third climb, the Côte de la Savine, according to ABC. From that point, she rode alone for 88 km. That is more than half the stage distance.
Lotte Kopecky chased hard but could not close the gap. She finished second, 1 minute 24 seconds back. Marianne Vos took third place, showing the depth of riders behind Haugset. The result completely reshuffled the overall standings heading into the next stage.
Crash and Chaos on the Col de la Faucille
The Col de la Faucille climb caused major problems for the race's top names. A high-profile crash hit several riders, including reigning world champion Magdeleine Vallieres and former Tour winner Demi Vollering, per AFP. Both were caught up in the incident and lost significant time.
Lorena Wiebes, who had won the first two stages of the race, was dropped on the same climb. She finished more than 20 minutes behind the lead. The sprint specialist simply could not handle the steep terrain. Her grip on the overall lead was gone before the halfway point of the stage.
A Historic First for Norway in Women's Cycling
Haugset is the Norwegian national champion. But no Norwegian rider — man or woman — had ever worn the yellow jersey at the Tour de France Femmes before Tuesday. Free Malaysia Today reported she is the first to win a stage and take the overall lead in the race's history.
"I never thought a stage win and the yellow jersey would be possible," Haugset said after the finish. She thanked her teammates and supporters, calling the breakthrough unreal. The win signals a major moment for cycling in Norway.
Time Trial Next: GC Rivals Get Another Chance
The race does not stop for anyone. A 21-kilometer time trial between Gevrey-Chambertin and Dijon is coming up. Time trials reward riders who can sustain high power output alone against the clock. Kopecky and other GC contenders will look to claw back time on Haugset.
Haugset now leads the overall classification. Whether she can defend that lead through the time trial and the stages that follow will define her Tour. For now, she holds the yellow jersey — and Norwegian cycling has its first-ever leader of the Tour de France Femmes, per Head Topics.
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