The biggest race in the world has the power to affirm the status of the best riders in the peloton. It also has the power to mint the next generation of stars.
At the start of stage 6 of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift yesterday, very few knew the name Maeva Squiban, a 23-year-old from Brittany. Today, she ascended to new heights by earning her second stage win in as many days, both times with no one else in the photo.
After being part of today’s stage 7 breakaway, Squiban attacked on the final climb, the Col du Granier, picking off both Ruth Edwards and Marielle Meijering who were up the road, and reaching the top alone.
After a blistering descent to the finish, she held a minute gap to handily win her second career stage. Cédrine Kerbaol caught Ruth Edwards for second place. Edwards finished third, the highest ever placing for an American rider in a non-TT stage at the race.
Meanwhile, the race looked set to crown a new yellow jersey with Kim Le Court dropping on the final climb, cresting the summit 35 seconds down on the GC contenders. But she wouldn’t give up and willed herself back into the group to keep her 26-second advantage over Pauline Ferrand-Prévot.
The race is now at its tightest margin ever through seven stages, the top-five riders separated by only 35 seconds with a decisive showdown set up tomorrow on the Col de la Madeleine. It’s a must-watch stage tomorrow.