CANYON//SRAM Racing’s Kasia Niewiadoma sprinted to third place in today’s classics style stage four of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Kasia gained time on several general classification contenders and jumped into third in the general classification.

The stage took in the terrain of the Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, with the steep and epic climbs Côte de la Redoute, Côte des Forges, and Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons. Under pouring rain, the roads were slippery, and several riders, including Neve Bradbury and Chloé Dygert, were caught in crashes. Alice Towers and Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka protected the team early in the race before Soraya Paladin positioned Kasia before the la Côte de Redoute.

As anticipated, it was an explosive contest on the Belgium roads where the stage started in earnest in the final hour of racing. Kasia climbed strongly, forging into a four-rider leading group on the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons with 13km remaining. An uphill sprint for bonus seconds at 11km reduced the leading group to just three riders who rode into the flat finish in Liége. Kasia tried a late attack after the flamme rouge but was caught and crossed the line for third behind winner Puck Pieterse (FED).

Kasia is now third overall, +34 seconds behind leader Demi Vollering (SDW). Neve is fifth in the youth classification, +3:50 behind today’s stage winner Pieterse.

RIDER REACTIONS

Kasia Niewiadoma: “I enjoy these weather conditions, so the rain doesn’t worry me. The race started when we approached the Redoute. Everyone knows the final into Liége is super hard, and after the last climb, we were just three riders.

In the last kilometres, we worked together equally. When we approached the last kilometre, I knew I wasn’t the fastest, so I tried to attack. I knew that in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, that almost paid off, so I waited until Demi was in front to attack. Hopefully, at next year’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège, it will work out!

It’s just the beginning of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. I felt good today. It’s always nice to know you are in good shape when the hardest stages are coming.”

HOW TO WATCH

All of the stage five action can be followed on X with #TDFF2024 and #WatchTheFemmes. A daily broadcast can be found on France TV, RTBF, VRT, TG4, NOS, TV2, Eurosport, RTVE, SRG-SSR, SPORTSCHAU, CARACOL, RCN, FRANCE 24, SUPERSPORT, ABU DHABI SPORTS, FLOBIKES, CNBC, PEACOCK, ESPN, SBS, JSPORTS, SKY SPORT, ZHIBO TV, TV5MONDE and MAX.

Stage 5 | Bastogne – Amnéville | 152.5km | 11:55CEST | Broadcast 13:30CEST.

Stage 6 | Remiremont – Morteau | 159.2km | 11:30CEST | Broadcast 13:30CEST.

Stage 7 | Champagnole – Le Grand-Bornand | 166.4km | 10:30CEST | Broadcast 13:00CEST.

Stage 8 | Le Grand-Bornand – Alpe D’Huez | 149.9km | 13:40CEST | Broadcast 16:20CEST.

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