Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney wins Stage 7 after long-range attack on Mont Ventoux to take yellow jersey in Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2026

Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift

Stage 7 | Mountain | Women | 07.08.2026

Finished

La Voulte-sur-RhôneMont Ventoux

K. Niewiadoma-Phinney

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05:19 PM

WATCH THE STAGE 7 FINISH

A magical moment that we're sure Niewiadoma Phinney will cherish for years to come - here are the highlights of Stage 7

Highlights: Niewiadoma-Phinney reigns on punishing Mont Ventoux to take yellow jersey

Video credit: TNT Sports

05:17 PM

NIEWIADOMA PHINNEY HAILS 'THIS BEAUTIFUL FEELING' AFTER MONT VENTOUX TRIUMPH

Kasia Niewiadoma Phinney made history with her win atop Mont Ventoux on Friday. Even though the Canyon//SRAM leader has already won a Tour de France avec Zwift before, she had never won a stage - until now.

It was a hilly stage before the riders even hit Mont Ventoux, with Puck Pieterse taking more points to extend her lead in the queen of the mountains classification. The day's breakaway took off at 74km to go, with 11 riders making the leap. None of the riders threatened the general classification, so the peloton felt comfortable letting the gap grow to just under three minutes.

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After the Col de Suzette, several riders were dropped and the peloton really upped their game reeling in the remaining riders. Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) made a short-lived attempt at going clear but she was brought back and the race to Ventoux began.

Almost instantly as the road went up, reigning champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Visma-Lease a Bike) was dropped and spent the entire climb managing her effort. An elite group formed ahead of her, including Marion Bunel (Visma), Demi Vollering (FDJ United–Suez), Juliette Berthet (FDJ), Celia Gery (FDJ), Niewiadoma Phinney, Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon//SRAM), Paula Blasi (UAE Team L'Imad), Marlen Reusser (Movistar), Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek), Isabella Holmgren (Lidl-Trek) and Cedrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly).

Team-mates of Vollering and Reusser began to drop back after their jobs were done for the day, but it was Noemi Ruegg of EF that really pushed the pace for Kerbaol and splintering the group.

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With 11km to go, Vollering attacked out of a steep hairpin taking Niewiadoma Phinney and Reusser with her. The three rode together for just under 2km before Niewiadoma Phinney accelerated and took off up the mountain ahead of them.

The yellow jersey and Vollering were no match for the storming Niewiadoma Phinney as she powered off up Ventoux and took over the yellow jersey in the process. Vollering and Reusser showed why you should not play games when a GC threat is riding up the road but Vollering managed to save one final kick for the end to take second on the stage.

Not far behind the Vollering and Reusser group were Longo Borghini (UAE), Blasi and Kerbaol and, thanks to the work of the young riders, Borghini was able to sprint past Reusser on the line and take third place on the stage.

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Speaking to reporters at the finish, Niewiadoma said: "Honestly, it's hard to describe my feelings because I'm still speechless. But I just feel so much gratitude and this victory goes to so many people that were with me along this very long road without a proper big win.

"I just feel like I want to say thank you to almost everyone, but I'm just so tired and so blown away with what just happened.

"It's funny, as we started to climb Mont Ventoux I looked right and I saw my parents, they came for a surprise visit. I could see my dad crying and I thought I just need to make them proud."

'Still speechless' - Niewiadoma-Phinney 'blown away' by stage win and 'surprise' family visit

Video credit: TNT Sports

When asked if she was surprised to drop Reusser and Vollering, she said: "Honestly my idea was that I just need to make it to six km to go on my own because I knew with the wind we had today that if somebody is chasing behind they will try to stay on their wheel as much as possible.

"So once I made it to Chalet, of course it wasn't nice for me because there was a lot of headwind, but I knew they would just play the game."

The victory moved Niewiadoma Phinney into the yellow jersey before Stage 8, which is a somewhat flatter affair and the last chance for the sprinters to win a stage.

04:56 PM

"I ENJOYED THE CLIMB"

Elisa Longo Borghini with possibly the only glowing review of Mont Ventoux.

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"The pace was very high from the very beginning, and chapeau to Kasia, I think she did an amazing climb. Personally, I had my own pacing, and I wasn't paying too much attention to others. I worked very well with Paula, we rotated, and then we could reel Marlen back. I got a decent place, I can't complain, and again we showed that we are a team."

04:47 PM

IT'S HARD WORK UP VENTOUX, EVEN FOR THE PROFESSIONALS

It's nice to see riders help each other out, even when they're not teammates. Just like Kerbaol and Niedermaier did here.

Watch: Classy moment Kerbaol and Niedermaier seen 'helping each other' with water bottle

Video credit: TNT Sports

04:43 PM

STAGE 7 RESULTS

Goodness, I think I need a decaf coffee after that. Niewiadoma Phinney has always been one of the strongest climbers in the women's peloton but she's not always been able to show it. But there was no competition today, she was the strongest rider by far and she deservedly takes the yellow jersey into tomorrow's stage.

Image credit: Getty Images

🥇Kasia Niewiadoma Phinney (Canyon-SRAM)

🥈Demi Vollering (FDJ-United Suez)) +1'16"

🥉Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team) +1'42"

04:39 PM

RELIVE NIEWIADOMA-PHINNEY'S RACE-WINNING MOVE

Watch: Niewiadoma-Phinney's clinical stage-winning attack from Vollering, Reusser group

Video credit: TNT Sports

04:38 PM

ELISA LONGO-BORGHINI OVERTAKES THE YELLOW JERSEY!

She crosses the line in third, and Reusser in fourth with Blasi and Niedermaier close behind.

04:37 PM

KASIA NIEWIADOMA-PHINNEY WINS ATOP MONT VENTOUX!!

What a rider. What a stage. She's won the stage and will take the yellow jersey leading into Stage 8 tomorrow.

Behind her, Vollering has attacked from Reusser and she's crossed the line in 2nd place, 1'17" back.

04:35 PM

0.4KM TO GO: NIEWIADOMA-PHINNEY SET TO WIN STAGE

This has been an incredible, gutsy ride from the former TDFF winner. She attacked and never looked back, and now she's writing her name into history.

04:34 PM

0.6KM TO GO: GAP TO WHITE JERSEY GROUP EXTENDS

Looks like Reusser and Vollering will be safe from the white jersey group getting back on their wheels, but not by much.

04:31 PM

FLAMME ROUGE: NIEWIADOMA-PHINNEY LOOKING UNSTOPPABLE

What a perfectly timed attack from the former TDFF winner. She's looking tired but like she's pleased with her efforts. I have to say I was expecting a bit more from Demi Vollering, but I suppose there is another mountain stage to go for her to make a move. Nothing like leaving things to the last minute, Demi.

Image credit: Getty Images

04:26 PM

2.4KM TO GO: WHITE JERSEY GROUP GAINING ON REUSSER GROUP

They're within sight now, although visibility is quite good up here on the moon. They've got just over 10" between them, while Kasia has 1'40" on the yellow jersey group.

04:23 PM

3.6KM TO GO: VOLLERING LOOKS TO BE SUFFERING

Her and Reusser haven't been working together that well and it looks like it's starting to show for Vollering, who is beginning to look a little tired.

04:21 PM

4.2KM TO GO: NIEWIADOMA-PHINNEY HEADS INTO VIRTUAL LEAD

She's gotten over the 1'17" threshold she needed to take the yellow jersey, now she just needs to keep at this pace and ride it home.

04:18 PM

5KM TO GO: NIEWIADOMA-PHINNEY HITS ZWIFT CORNER

She's working incredibly well here, despite now being faced with a headwind.

04:15 PM

6.4KM TO GO: NIEWIADOMA-PHINNEY PULLING SOME EPIC PAIN FACES

She's going deep here, in search for not only the stage win but the yellow jersey. Remember, she's 1'17" behind Reusser currently.

04:13 PM

7KM TO GO: NIEWIADOMA-PHINNEY APPROACHING END OF THE FOREST

Soon, she'll be riding on the moon. I think that's the technical term for when the forest ends. Meanwhile, down in Forestville, Reusser and Vollering are still playing games and not really working as hard as they could.

04:10 PM

7.7KM TO GO: NIEWIADOMA-PHINNEY EXTENDS HER ADVANTAGE

It's up to 20" now but surely Vollering is just biding her time before launching the definitive attack.

04:07 PM

8.6KM TO GO: 10" GAP FROM NIEWIADOMA-PHINNEY TO YELLOW JERSEY

They're working hard to come back to her but she's managed to keep a decent gap so far. Reusser refusing to do long pulls, and who can blame her. She is in the yellow jersey after all.

04:05 PM

8.8KM TO GO: COUNTER-ATTACK FROM VOLLERING!

She's trying but Reusser is just time-trialling her way up this climb. She's stuck to her wheel like a stick insect on a sticky bun.

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