Tour de France Femmes 2024: Pieterse wins three-up sprint

foto: Cor VosYellow jersey Demi Vollering sets such a ferocious pace on the Roche-aux-Faucons that only Puck Pieterse, Kasia Niewiadoma, and Pauliena Rooijakkers are able to follow. The latter loses contact on the plateau after the top, and then it comes down to a sprint-à-trois in Liège. Pieterse takes the spoils millimetres ahead of Vollering. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 4th stage 2024 Tour de France Femmes

1. Puck Pieterse (nld)
2. Demi Vollering (nld) s.t.
3. Kasia Niewiadoma (pol) s.t.
4. Kimberley (Le Court) Pienaar (mau) + 0.29
5. Noemi Rüegg (swi) s.t.
6. Thalita de Jong (nld) s.t.
7. Évita Muzic (fra) s.t.
8. Shirin van Anrooij (nld) s.t.
9. Niamh Fisher-Black (nzl) s.t.
10. Mareille Meijering (nld) s.t.

GC after stage 4

1. Demi Vollering (nld)
2. Puck Pieterse (nld) + 0.22
3. Kasia Niewiadoma (pol) + 0.34
4. Kristen Faulkner (usa) + 0.47
5. Juliette Labous (fra) + 0.56
6. Pauliena Rooijakkers (nld) + 1.03
7. Kimberley (Le Court) Pienaar (mau) s.t.
8. Thalita de Jong (nld) + 1.04
9. Cédrine Kerbaol (fra) s.t.
10. Shirin van Anrooij (nld) + 1.07

Race report
Silvia Persico wins the QOM sprint at the first three hills, Bemelerberg, Cauberg, Geulhemmerberg, and again Bemelerberg. The peloton is still bunched at that point, but Sara Martín escapes as the riders leave the first hilly zone. The Spanish rider puts over 1 minute into the peloton.

Martín is caught on Mont-Theux. Yara Kastelijn takes over the attack and she is the first rider to reach the summit before she sits up to wait for the peloton.

Puck Pieterse crests La Redoute as the first rider of a reduced peloton. Riejanne Markus and Neve Bradbury have been dropped on the climb, but they make it back on the plateau after the summit.

Justine Ghekiere attacks in the last phase of Côte des Forges and she pushes on alone. The Belgian rider hits the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons with a 25 seconds lead.

Demi Vollering sets the pace on the climb until only Puck Pieterse, Kasia Niewiadoma, and Pauliena Rooijakkers remain on her wheel. They gobble up Ghekiere, after which Pieterse takes the most KOM points to move into the polka dots.

While Vollering wins the sprint for time bonuses ahead of Niewiadoma and Pieterse, Rooijakkers loses contact. The three work well together to distance the first chasers.

Niewiadoma strikes inside the final kilometre. Vollering brings her back with Pieterse sitting quietly on her wheel. The 22-year old then opens the sprints early. Vollering comes shoulder to shoulder, but misses out with a few millemetres. Stage win for Pieterse, who also moves up to second place in the GC.

Vollering stays in yellow, while Niewiadoma moves up to third.

Another interesting read: route 4th stage 2024 Tour de France Femmes.