PLANCHE DES BELLES FILLES, France (AP) — Veteran rider Annemiek van Vleuten received the women’s Tour de France for the very first time on Sunday after clinching the eighth and remaining stage in style.
The 39-calendar year-old Van Vleuten won the phase by 30 seconds from Dutch countrywoman Demi Vollering, who also concluded the race next all round. Italian rider Silvia Persico was third in the stage, 1 moment, 43 seconds powering the winner.
In the all round standings, Movistar rider Van Vleuten was 3:48 apparent of Vollering (Group SD Worx) and 6:35 forward of Polish rider Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon–SRAM) in 3rd spot.
Van Vleuten had just about plenty of power to punch the air in delight when crossing the line soon after the 123-kilometer (76-mile) mountain stage in the Vosges mountains of eastern France. It showcased two class 1 climbs, the 2nd ascent being the phase-ending trek up La Tremendous Planche des Belles Filles, which completed with a overwhelming gradient of 23%.
She entered the remaining phase with a lead of 3:14 seconds over Vollering.
On Saturday’s penultimate stage, Van Vleuten rose from eighth all round to consider the yellow jersey from Marianne Vos with far more fantastic climbing in the Vosges.
Van Vleuten included this victory to a lengthy list of achievements, which includes three Giro d’Italia Femminile titles, Olympic gold in time trial and two world championship golds in the identical self-control.
Six several years in the past, her vocation was beneath risk immediately after she sustained fractures to her spine and was put in intense treatment just after crashing for the duration of the women’s Olympic highway race at the Brazil Games.
Vos was amongst the favorites, but the a few-time Giro d’Italia champion ended up in 26th position general.
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