Vollering wins Stage 8 to take overall lead at Women’s Tour de France from Niewiadoma-Phinney

NICE, France (AP) — Demi Vollering launched a blistering attack to win the eighth stage of the Women’s Tour de France and take the yellow jersey heading into Sunday’s final stage.

The Dutchwoman upped the pace on Saturday’s fourth and final small climb and Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney cracked with about six kilometers (four miles) to go, sitting back down in her saddle as 2023 Tour winner Vollering surged ahead.

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Netherlands’ Demi Vollering reacts after winning the eighth stage of the Women’s Tour de France cycling race (Tour de France Femmes) between Sisteron and Nice in Nice, France, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Philippe Magoni)

Netherlands’ Demi Vollering reacts as she crosses the finish line after winning the eighth stage of the Women’s Tour de France cycling race (Tour de France Femmes) between Sisteron and Nice in Nice, France, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Philippe Magoni)

Netherlands’ Demi Vollering reacts as she crosses the finish line after winning the eighth stage of the Women’s Tour de France cycling race (Tour de France Femmes) between Sisteron and Nice in Nice, France, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Philippe Magoni)

FILE – France’s Pauline Ferrand-Prevot pedals during the women’s Elite road race, at the road cycling World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda, on Sept. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

As Vollering zoomed along the famed Promenade des Anglais by the seaside in Nice, Niewiadoma-Phinney and former Giro d’Italia winner Elisa Longo Borghini could not close the gap.

Vollering raised her arms triumphantly at the line, then sat on the ground and panted heavily as she tried to get her breath back. Longo Borghini was second and Niewiadoma-Phinney was third, both 17 seconds behind.

The day belonged to Vollering, who won the Giro d’Italia this year to complete the hat trick of Grands Tour wins.

She is eight seconds ahead of Niewiadoma-Phinney, the 2024 champion, in the overall standings. The Polish rider took the yellow jersey with a brilliant solo win up Mont Ventoux on Friday, and rode a yellow bike to go with it on Stage 8.

The 172-kilometer (107-mile) route from Sisteron to Nice on the southeast coast was mostly flat for sprinters but featured four minor climbs which made it a little more tricky.

With the main title contenders initially saving energy for Sunday’s tough-looking decisive stage in the hills around Nice, the yellow jersey group let Frenchwoman Maeva Squiban and Dutchwoman Loes Adegeest form a long breakaway.

Squiban slid off her bike heading into a turn on a downhill section and landed heavily on her left side. She had cuts and grazes and screamed in agony as a medic on a motorbike tried bandaging her arm while she was riding.

She carried on riding despite the pain while, up ahead, Adegeest was caught inside the last nine kilometers.

Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt pulled out of the race shortly before the stage after feeling unwell.

The French rider’s Visma-Lease a Bike team said on X that the decision to pull her out of the race was made after consultation with the team’s medical staff.

The 2024 Paris Olympic champion in mountain biking, she won the Women’s Tour de France on her debut last year. But she struggled this year and was in 14th place overall before withdrawing.

Stage 9 features four sharp climbs of Col d’Èze, which is nestled in the hills overlooking the tiny Principality of Monaco.

Two years ago, Niewiadoma-Phinney beat Vollering on a final day mountain stage to win the race by just four seconds.

Vollering will have to ensure it’s not a case of déjà vu.

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WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has sent a memo to teams that addresses ongoing discussions around transgender athletes in women’s basketball.

“I know many of you have received questions in recent weeks regarding transgender athlete participation in women’s basketball, and I expect this topic will continue to receive significant attention,” Engelbert wrote in the memo, which was sent Friday afternoon and obtained by The Associated Press. “I wanted to reach out to share how we are approaching these conversations at the league office and to thank those of you who have responded to questions from the media with thoughtfulness and professionalism.”

The memo said the topic will be discussed further by a task force of team presidents and general managers at a previously scheduled meeting next week.

In an ESPN article published last month, Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham voiced support for barring transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s sports. Cunningham’s comments sparked small rallies and protests in Seattle and Portland when the Fever were on the road last week.

There was a lone protester at the Fever’s home game against Las Vegas on Thursday night. Indiana visits Chicago on Saturday. Members of two conservative groups are planning a rally in support of Cunningham ahead of that game.

The league hasn’t made any public comments on the issue.

Engelbert wrote that the league will “always approach this topic thoughtfully, respectfully, and in alignment with the longstanding values of our league. Second, our player eligibility rules, unlike the eligibility rules of some other leagues and governing bodies, are collectively bargained. Lastly, preserving the integrity of our game and ensuring fair competition will always remain among the league’s highest priorities.”

The league’s collective bargaining agreement states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,” but it does not include any more specific language about gender identity or sex assigned at birth. On Friday, two former NBA players, Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, declared themselves eligible for the WNBA draft, saying they identify as women.

“We recognize that this is a complex and nuanced topic, and we will continue to have important conversations with all of you and the Players Association in the weeks and months ahead,” Engelbert said in the memo. “We also plan to convene additional discussions and offer listening sessions for any team leaders who would like to participate. Your perspectives and feedback are invaluable, and I appreciate those who have already reached out to share their thoughts.”

The WNBA players’ association released a statement on social media Friday that emphasized diversity and inclusion while saying the group “will not be used as political pawns.”

“We embrace justice equity, diversity, and inclusion,” the statement read. “Those are the values that unite this Union and allow it to protect women’s sports while creating transformational change. Hate, abuse, and demonization of any person or group of people, including transgender people, only fuel fear, division, and harm. We will continue to have hard conversations. But we will not be used as political pawns.”

Some WNBA players and coaches have come out in support of transgender athletes, including Seattle Storm center Stefanie Dolson and Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve.

“We need to protect trans kids,” Reeve said on Aug. 1. “To me, it’s a human rights issue. Every kid has a right to sports.”

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball