Niewiadoma Wins Women's Tour de France by 4 Seconds

Polish cyclist Kasia Niewiadoma triumphed in a nail-biting finish at the women’s Tour de France, securing her first title by a mere four seconds over defending champion Demi Vollering. This victory marks the smallest margin in the history of both the women’s and men’s races. After the final stage on the iconic Alpe d’Huez, an emotional Niewiadoma expressed disbelief at her achievement, stating, “It’s so crazy, this Tour has been a crazy roller-coaster.” The final stage saw a dramatic showdown as Vollering, aware of her time deficit, participated in a breakaway earlier in the race. Despite her powerful acceleration to win the stage, it was not enough to overcome Niewiadoma’s lead. Niewiadoma finished fourth in the stage, clocking an overall time of 24 hours, 36 minutes, and 7 seconds, while Vollering’s time was 24:36:11. Vollering, who had previously suffered a crash that impacted her performance, expressed her disappointment at narrowly missing the title. “Right now I feel really bitter that I only lost by four seconds,” she lamented. Meanwhile, Pauliena Rooijakkers, another contender, finished third overall, just 10 seconds behind Niewiadoma. The thrilling conclusion of this year’s Tour de France, spanning 950 kilometers, showcased the intense competition and resilience of the riders, culminating in a historic finish that will be remembered for years to come.