1 min readStage 2 was flat and fast, and Lidl Trek’s Riejanne Markus almost made it to the finish in a 40-kilometer solo breakaway that was caught just meters shy of the line. Lorena Wiebes stayed in yellow with another sprint victory.Bicycling’s expert staff did a deep dive on how Markus was able to successfully hold off a peloton of pros thanks to her excellent position on bike—and how our readers can work on building their core strength to do the same.Core strength helps riders keep pressure off of their hands and put down more power on the bike—don’t neglect those planks! Even simply bringing attention to your core as you ride can help make you stronger.
The second stage of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift took riders from Aigle to Geneva destination in a flat 148-kilometer sprint stage that was ultimately won by Lorena Wiebes of SD Worx, but Lidl Trek’s Riejanne Markus solo attack was what caught our attention.
Bicycling’s expert staff broke down why core strength matters on the bike and how you can build it before, during and after your ride. Check out a few of our favorite core routines here.
Stage 1 Podium
1. Lorena Wiebes
2. Elisa Balsam
3. Marianne Vos
GC Standings After Stage 1
1. Lorena Wiebes
2. Kim Le Court +14
3. Demi Vollering +16
4. Noemi Rüegg +20
5. Elisa Longo Borghini +20
Molly writes about cycling, nutrition and training with an emphasis on bringing more women into sport. She’s the author of nine books including the Shred Girls series and is the founder of Strong Girl Publishing. She co-hosts The Consummate Athlete Podcast and spends most of her free time biking and running on trails, occasionally joined by her mini-dachshund.
Since getting hooked on pro cycling while watching Lance Armstrong win the 1993 U.S. Pro Championship in Philadelphia, longtime Bicycling contributor Whit Yost has raced on Belgian cobbles, helped build a European pro team, and piloted that team from Malaysia to Mont Ventoux as an assistant director sportif. These days, he lives with his wife and son in Pennsylvania, spending his days serving as an assistant middle school principal and his nights playing Dungeons & Dragons.