Tour de France Femmes: Niewiadoma angered by French rider after losing yellow jersey

Tensions flared at the Tour de France Femmes after Kasia Niewiadoma lost her yellow jersey to Demi Vollering by a narrow 8-second margin following the eighth stage in Nice. Niewiadoma, who had showcased a strong performance on Mont Ventoux, was unable to maintain her lead after Vollering's decisive acceleration.

At the finish line, Niewiadoma confronted Celia Gery, a rider for Vollering's FDJ United-Suez team. The Polish cyclist accused Gery of deliberately blocking her against the barriers during a critical moment on the climb. "Why did you do that? Why did you push me against the barriers? Was that part of the plan?" Niewiadoma reportedly asked, though Gery did not respond.

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Pourquoi tu as fait ça ? Pourquoi tu m’as tassée contre les barrières ? Ça faisait partie du plan ?

Speaking to Eurosport, Niewiadoma elaborated on the incident, stating that Gery's actions prevented her from responding effectively to Vollering's attack. "I was really close to the barrier, so I couldn't move," Niewiadoma explained. "Honestly, I lost all respect for them for that." The confrontation highlights the intense rivalry between Niewiadoma and Vollering as they head into the final stage, a challenging route around Nice with multiple ascents of the Col d'Eze.

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I was really close to the barrier, so I couldn't move. Honestly, I lost all respect for them for that.