(Reuters) – Belgian Justine Ghekiere pushed ahead alone on the final two climbs to win stage seven of the Tour de France Femmes on Saturday, with Poland’s Katarzyna Niewiadoma retaining the leader’s yellow jersey going into the final stage.
Ghekiere, of AG Insurance-Soudal, took advantage of the mountains in the 166.4-km ride from Champagnole to Le Grand-Bornand and, having taken over the best climber’s polka dot jersey on Friday, she raced away from a breakaway group to win the stage.
“I really have no words, I think I’m dreaming, it’s just crazy,” Ghekiere said.
Maeva Squiban of France came in second, one minute 15 seconds behind the winner, just ahead of defending champion Demi Vollering.
A group of six riders broke away before the second of five categorised climbs but Ghekiere, winner of the mountains classification at the Giro d’Italia Donne last month, showed her strength on the climbs to drop them one by one.
Niewiadoma continued to impress and with one kilometre to the finish she attacked from the peloton and only Vollering could keep pace. While the Dutch rider outsprinted Niewiadoma at the finish, the Pole maintained the overall lead.
Vollering lost the leader’s jersey on stage five after losing time in a crash near the finish, and is eighth in the standings, one minute 15 seconds behind Niewiadoma.
Niewiadoma, who finished third in the previous two editions of the Tour, has a 27-second lead over Dutchwoman Puck Pieterse, with France’s Cedrine Kerbaol a further 10 seconds back.
Sunday’s final stage is a 149.9-km ride from Le Grand-Bornand to the mountain resort of Alpe d’Huez.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; editing by Clare Fallon)
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