The thighs will heat up during this penultimate stage of the Tour de France women 2022. For the first time since the start of the Grande Boucle, the riders will explain themselves during a mountain stage, Saturday July 30. The opportunity for the climbers to finally shine, and for the favorites to fight their first battle at altitude of this edition.
What is the stage profile?
The program will be very busy between Sélestat and Le Markstein Fellering, a winter sports resort in the Vosges mountains. In this seventh stage, the peloton will follow a demanding route punctuated by the ascent of three long and steep passes: the Petit Ballon (9.3 km at 8.1%), the Col du Platzerwasel (7.1 km at 8, 3%) then the Grand Ballon (13.5 km at 6.7%). Three 1st category difficulties which will certainly create gaps between the contenders for the yellow jersey, currently worn by Marianne Vos.
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Once the last climb is completed, the runners will have to cover another seven kilometers before crossing the finish line. “It’s going to be very tough“, sums up Franck Perque, the director of the event, on the Tour de France website.
Who could shine in the mountains?
The mountain does not appeal to everyone. But this route will be a decisive opportunity for the favorites to place themselves before the final stage of the Super Board of Beautiful Girls, sunday. On the flanks of the yellow jersey Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma), several tenors should compete for this prestigious victory. It will be necessary in particular to watch the Danish Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez-Futuroscope), victorious in Epernay on Tuesday after having been in difficulty in the coast of Mutigny, the Italian Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo), or the Dutch Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar), which could finally show itself to its advantage in the mountains.
The experienced South African climber Ashleigh Moolmann (SD-Worx) could also raise her arms at the top of the Grand Ballon. Little in sight since the start of the Tour, the 36-year-old runner is known to excel in the climbs. On the French side, we will observe Juliette Labous (Team DSM) and Evita Muzic (FDJ-Suez-Futuroscope), respectively 7th and 12th overall. Faced with such percentages, the polka dot jersey, worn since the third stage by Femke Gerritse (Parkhotel-Valkenburg) should change shoulders.
What are the schedules ?
1:30 p.m.: fictitious start
1:40 p.m.: real start
3:15 p.m. : beginning of the retransmission on France 3 and france.tv
5:15 p.m.: estimated arrival at Markstein Fellering