Saturday was the Grand Depart of the fifth Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift in Lausanne, Switzerland, Stage 1 ending with an uphill finish that Lorena Wiebes won. Wiebes, who recently swept the three-stage Tour of Poland, wears the first yellow jersey. Isabella Holmgren had to chase back from a mechanical but she was still top Canadian in 14th.
The Favourites
The last three winners were back to cross swords: Demi Vollering, Kasia Niewiadoma and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. Vollering won this year’s Giro d’Italia Women. Paula Blasi took the Vuelta España Femenina. Anna van der Breggen led both the Giro and Vuelta until the final stage. Two-time Giro titlist Elisa Longo Borghini was fourth in this year’s edition while Movistar’s Swiss ace Marlen Reusser came 13th.
Vollering won several 2026 Spring Classics including Ronde van Vlaanderen.
The Canadians
Leading the way for the Canucks is world champion Magdeleine Vallières Mill, who placed 12th in the Giro, while Isabella Holmgren was seventh and won best young rider. Alison Jackson races her first Tour for green and orange-clad St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93. Liv-AlUla-Jayco’s new Canadian Nadia Gontova was 23rd in the Tour last year. Sarah Van Dam should play a part in the plans of her new team Visma-Lease a Bike. Kiara Lylyk races for the delightfully named Mayenne Monbana My Pie.
Holmgren, here finishing at the Giro della’Emelia with Karlijn Swinkels, impressed at the Giro d’Italia. Photo: Sirotti
Saturday’s Opener in Switzerland
Stage 1 started and finished in Lausanne. Four classified climbs including a 2.6-km Cat. 4 rise of 4.6 percent made a bunch sprint unlikely.
A lumpy first day in Switzerland. Image by La FlammeRouge
With 12 km raced, Jackson tried to bridge to a breakaway quartet. Lylyk followed suit.
Lylyk on the move.
Lylyk never made it. Fugitive Océane Mahé was first atop Cat. 3 Côte de Châbles, Jackson still in pursuit. Soon, Jackson too was back in the peloton. At the midpoint of the stage, the quartet held a 6:00 lead. On Cat. 3 Côte de Villars-le-Comte, Mahé scoring again at the crest, Amanda Spratt attacked from the greatly reduced bunch. Holmgren chased back after a mechanical. Mahé nailed down the first QOM jersey on Cat. 3 Côte de Vulliens.
Cat. 4 Côte Saint-François
The conclusion was a 2.6-km climb of 4.6 percent. Teams tried to ideally position their protected rider.
Escapee Nikola Nosková charged up the road at this point. Reusser crashed and had to scramble to get back on even terms. The final breakaway riders were swept up with 6 km to race. AG Insurance-Soudal raced with intent. Holmgren was present and accounted for. Vollering made a move, Kim Le Court on her wheel.
But because they couldn’t get rid of Wiebes, she took the sprint.
Sunday is similar to Saturday, but there’s no sting in the tail and it might be a good day for the sprinters.
2026 Tour de France Femmes
1) Lorena Wiebes (The Netherlands/SD Worx-Protime) 3:29:11
2) Kim Le Court (Mauritius/AG Insurance-Soudal) s.t.
3) Demi Vollering (The Netherlands/FDJ United-Suez) s.t.
14) Isabella Holmgren (Canada/Lidl-Trek) +0:08
30) Sarah Van Dam (Canada/Visma-Lease a Bike) +0:30