Épernay, Tuesday, July 26th 2022 – On the day after a terrible stage 2 for FDJ Suez Futuroscope, Cecilie Ludwig claimed a spectacular victory in Épernay. The Danish National champion was the fastest on the final uphill of the day to take victory in front of Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo Visma) and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (Team SD Worx) after an eventful finale. Vos retains the Maillot Jaune while the gaps open on the overall standings, with only seven riders within a minute of the GC leader.
On the day after an explosive finale around Provins and with many hills on the way to Épernay, baroudeurs are inspired from the start. Attacks are flying non-stop at the front, which prevents any group from opening significant gaps in the early parts of the stage.
First skirmishes
The peloton fly towards the first categorised ascent of the day, the cat-4 Côte de Trépail (km 21.6). At the summit, Femke Gerritse (Parkhotel Valkenburg) adds 2 QOM points to her tally (she was already a joint-leader with her teammate Femke Markus, wearing the polka-dot jersey due to a better position on the overall standings). Elise Chabbey (Canyon//Sram) is 2nd over the top.
After the summit, Pauline Allin (Arkéa) goes for her second breakaway of the Tour, after a previous attempt on the Champs-Élysées. Femke Markus joins her at km 40. More riders try to bridge the gap but the peloton, wary of the wind, cover every move.
Unable to open a significant gap, the attacking duo are caught with 74km to go. The situation then settles towards the final ascents of the day.
More attacks
Gerritse dominates again the cat-4 climbs of Vertus (km 78.9) and Mesnil-sur-Oger (km 88.1), each time ahead of Chabbey. She all but secures the polka-dot jersey at the end of the day.
Amialiusik accelerates after the climb and sets off alone at the front. Many riders try to counter-attack, but none succeeds to join her. She has a lead of 1’ against the bunch as she enters the last 30km.
Unbridled action
The peloton accelerate and the gap is down to 30’’ as they cross the finish line for the first time, with 24km to go. They face an explosive final lap, with the Côte de Mutigny, where Julian Alaphilippe powered to the stage win and the Maillot Jaune on the same roads in 2019.
Amialiusik is caught at the bottom of the climb. Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) sets the early pace, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (SD Worx) accelerates and then her teammate Demi Vollering powers to the summit. Only seven riders remain at the front: Van Vleuten, Moolman Pasio, Vollering, Lippert, Persico, Garcia, Longo Borghini.
The Maillot Jaune Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) is chasing 15’’ behind them, with Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez-Futuroscope) and Juliette Labous (Team DSM).
Crazy finale
The situation is turned upside down again when Vollering misses a turn and Lippert goes down with her. Eventually, 11 riders get back together ahead of the final ascent of the day: Vollering, Faulkner, Ludwig, Niewiadoma, Labous, Persico, Moolman-Pasio, Van Vleuten, Longo Borghini and Garcia.
Van Vleuten can’t keep up when Longo Borghini accelerates on the slopes of Mont Bernon to take 3 bonus seconds over the top. She eventually gets back for the last kilometre, with the final uphill sections to battle it out.
Niewiadoma, Moolman-Pasio and Vos anticipate… And Ludwig flies past them right at the end to take revenge after a crash-marred stage 2 for her team on Monday.
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig: “I felt I was in a good spot following Marianne [Vos]’s wheel under flamme rouge, but then I lost position a bit and I was: ‘sh…’ And Kasia [Niewiadoma] was already attacking. I just kept on fighting, thinking ‘I can come back, at least the podium!’ And then: ‘it’s looking pretty good…’ It’s amazing. Yesterday was such a gloomy, sad, sh… day. To keep fighting with the team like this is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life I think. We’re not quitters! During the race, the girls came to me to tell me: ‘We believe in you! We’re here for you!’ And then they were standing in front of me when I was on the podium. I was just crying, crying, crying. And them too. It was so special. I’m a stage winner of the Tour de France! That’s a good line on my resume. And we’re gonna celebrate tonight, I promise you. Marta [Cavalli] will be with us in the hotel and we’ll be able to have a glass of champagne and also tell her: ‘We did it for you’.”
STAGE RESULT
- Cecilie Ludwig (FDJ Suez Futuroscope) in 3h22’54”
- Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo Visma) +02’’
- Ashleigh Moolman – Pasio (Team SD Worx) +02’’
INDIVIDUAL GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
- Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo Visma) in 8h30’36”
- Silvia Persico (Valcar Travel & Service) +16’’
- Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon // SRAM Racing) +16’’
