Tour de France Femmes 2022: Van Vleuten solos to victory and maillot jaune

image: Cor VosAnnemiek van Vleuten drops her fellow attacker Demi Vollering with 60 kilometres to go. She solos to victory with a lead of more than 3 minutes. Obviously, Van Vleuten is the new yellow jersey. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 7th stage 2022 Tour de France Femmes

1. Annemiek van Vleuten (nld)
2. Demi Vollering (nld) + 3.26
3. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (den) + 5.16
4. Juliette Labous (fra) + 5.18
5. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (pol) s.t.
6. Silvia Persico (ita) + 6.56
7. Elisa Longo Borghini (ita) s.t.
8. Urska Zigart (slo) + 7.23
9. Évita Muzic (fra) + 8.27
10. Pauliena Rooijackers (nld) + 10.10

13. Mavi García (spa) + 10.41
15. Elise Chabbey (swi) + 11.05
49. Marianne Vos (nld) + 24.44

GC after stage 7
1. Annemiek Van Vleuten (nld)
2. Demi Vollering (nld) + 3.09
3. Katarzyna Niewiadoma + 4.20
4. Juliette Labous (fra) + 5.09
5. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (den) + 5.50
6. Silvia Persico (ita) + 5.58
7. Elisa Longo Borghini (ita) + 6.03
8. Évita Muzic (fra) + 10.00
9. Mavi García (spa) + 11.53
10. Elise Chabbey (swi) + 12.11

Race report
After more than 20 kilometers of hard racing a group of 20 riders goes clear. More riders bridge across until there are 33 riders at the front. QOM leader Femke Gerritse and World Champion Elisa Balsamo are on board and they reach the base of Le Petit Ballon 45 seconds ahead of the peloton. All was in vain as the group is reeled in at kilometre 39.5.

Moments later the bunch explodes. Annemiek van Vleuten and Demi Vollering head out together and the two reach the summit almost 2 minute before the first chaser, Longo Borghini. Ludwig, Brown, Muzic, Persico, Labous and Niewiadoma are 3 minutes in arrears.

On the second climb, Col du Platzerwasel, Van Vleuten en Vollering continue to extend their lead before the latter is dropped inside the last kilometre. Van Vleuten reaches the summit with a lead of 25 seconds.

Gradually she distances her compatriot and Van Vleuten wins the race with a lead of more than 3 minutes. As she is the best climber on the Tour and there is only one mountain stage left, Van Vleuten is likely to win the yellow jersey.

Another interesting read: route 7th stage 2022 Tour de France Femmes.