Niewiadoma-Phinney second in Tour de France Femmes after controversial stage

Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney narrowly missed out on winning the Tour de France Femmes, finishing second overall after a dramatic final weekend of racing. The Polish cyclist, riding for CANYON//SRAM, had taken the yellow jersey on Friday by winning a challenging stage that included the iconic Mont Ventoux climb.

However, the race took a controversial turn on Saturday. As Demi Vollering of FDJ United-SUEZ attacked with 6.5 kilometers remaining, Niewiadoma-Phinney attempted to follow. She later accused Celia Gery, Vollering's teammate, of deliberately pushing her towards the barriers, effectively blocking her pursuit. "She looked back to see where Niewiadoma-Phinney was to plan her action well," the Polish rider reportedly stated, expressing her anger at the finish line.

Vollering took the lead in the general classification with a narrow 8-second advantage heading into the final stage, a 99.5 km circuit around Nice. Niewiadoma-Phinney fought hard on Sunday's climbs, attempting to break away, but Vollering proved too strong. The Dutch rider ultimately secured the stage win and the overall victory, finishing with a significant lead.

Niewiadoma-Phinney earned 25,000 euros for her second-place finish and an additional 4,000 euros for her stage win. Another Polish rider, Dominika Włodarczyk (UAE Team L’IMAD), also had a strong performance, finishing seventh overall. Marlene Reusser of Movistar Team crashed on a climb, losing her chance for a top position.

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She looked back to see where Niewiadoma-Phinney was to plan her action well.