1 min readToday’s stage was the longest in the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, with a strong General Classification battle in the final kilometers of the 172 kilometer stage.Bicycling’s expert staff breaks down few marginal gains we’ve spotted in this Tour that will actually add fun to your ride as well as make you a more efficient rider.Not every marginal gain has to be serious: Swapping your caffeinated gel for a cold Coke is TDFF-racer approved, and little rituals like tightening laces before a sprint can give you better control and a mental reset.
Today’s stage was the longest in the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, with 172 kilometers of racing from Sisteron to Nice. A long two-woman breakaway with Loes Adegeest of Lidl Trek and Maeve Squibans of UAE Team L’Imad was absorbed by the diminished peloton shortly after Squibans crashed with 14 kilometers to go. Adegeest did what she could, but the GC leaders took over and Demi Vollering of FDJ Suez attacked, time trialing her way to a stage win and moving her into the yellow jersey heading into the final day. But our experts were here to talk about the fun we spotted in this stage — the marginal gains that you can absolutely try at home.
Stage 8 Podium
1. Demi Vollering
2. Elisa Longo Borghini +17
3. Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney +17
GC After Stage 8
1. Demi Vollering
2. Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney +08
3. Marlen Reusser +1:12
4. Elisa Longo Borghini +3:05
5. Antonia Niedermaier +3:54
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.