Tour de France Femmes: A High-Speed Stage 3

The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift left Brittany on Monday with a flat stage heading to Angers. The Winspace Orange Seal riders tried to rac

e aggressively, but couldn’t make the break. It was a long and fast day on the bike — 163 kilometers at a high average speed. Once again, the French ProTeam was hit by bad luck, but riders and staff remain determined to keep fighting. 

This third stage was particularly special for Fiona Mangan. Our Irish rider has a personal connection to Angers, as her grandparents are originally from the city. She was the obvious choice to sprint for the team. Unfortunately, a crash with three kilometers to go ended her chances. "I was behind the big crash. I managed to get through it, but I was already too far back. I just rolled to the line safely," she explained. Fiona crossed the finish line alongside teammate Marine Allione. "She had worked for me and thought I was still ahead. In the end, I couldn’t get a result, but when our eyes met, we just tapped hands to support each other." A moment captured on live TV, showing the strong team spirit within Winspace Orange Seal.

Damien Pommereau, sports director, highlighted how intense the stage was : "The average speed was over 44 km/h. Women’s cycling is reaching an incredibly high level. Whether the course is flat or hilly, it’s always fast. We’re doing our best with what we have. We’re not a WorldTour team — and we know that. We tried to make the breakaway, but when the four riders who animated the day went up the road, there were four different teams represented — but not us. There are 22 teams on the Tour, so not everyone can be in front. It’s a shame because breakaways reward everyone’s work, but our riders gave it a go." The team wasn’t spared by misfortune : "Kiara had a hard crash — her knee is badly scraped. We also lost Nadia from the main group due to poor positioning and a key split. Then came the big crash three kilometers from the finish. Fiona, our designated sprinter, got held up. We’re managing the situation as best we can. But we’ll keep trying — every day offers new opportunities."

On Tuesday, Stage 4 will take the riders from Saumur to Poitiers.

Results :

71 - Fiona Mangan

72 - Marine Allione

96 - Karolina Perekitko

124 - Constance Valentin

125 - Kiara Lylyk

144 - Nadia Gontova

Photo credit : Quentin Photographie BE