Pauline Ferrand-Prevot has taken a commanding lead in the Tour de France Femmes after a spectacular victory on the Col de la Madeleine, securing the yellow jersey on the penultimate stage. The French cyclist, who has won 15 world titles, delivered a masterful performance on this year's queen stage, surpassing Kim le Court in the general classification standings.

Stage Highlights

The eighth day of racing was a grueling test of endurance, featuring over 3,500 meters of climbing, including the third-highest summit finish in the race's history at 2,000 meters above sea level. Ferrand-Prevot, an Olympic mountain bike champion, returned to road racing after seven seasons with a clear goal: to win the yellow jersey. Her determination paid off as she crossed the finish line 1 minute and 45 seconds ahead of Sarah Gigante, who moved up to second overall.

Race Dynamics

Former leader Kim le Court suffered a crash on a descent earlier in the day, losing around a minute to the peloton. Despite recovering and rejoining the main group, Le Court couldn't maintain her lead. Ferrand-Prevot seized the opportunity, launching a counter-attack 7 kilometers from the summit of the Col de la Madeleine. Only Niamh Fisher-Black and Yara Kastelijn remained from the day's breakaway, but Ferrand-Prevot proved too strong, powering clear to the finish.

Final Ascent

The final ascent of the hors categorie Col de la Madeleine was a brutal 18.6 kilometers at an average gradient of 8.1%. Ferrand-Prevot, who also won solo at Paris-Roubaix in April, demonstrated her dominance, positioning herself as the clear leader with just one day of racing left.

Looking Ahead

Sunday's concluding stage offers a final opportunity for riders to improve their standings. The 124.1-kilometer route from Praz-sur-Arly to Chatel features over 2,800 meters of ascent, promising another thrilling day of competition.

Stage Eight Results

1. Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Fra/Visma-Lease a Bike) - 3hrs 47mins 24secs
2. Sarah Gigante (Aus/AG Insurance-Soudal) - +1min 45secs
3. Niamh Fisher-Black (Nzl/Lidl-Trek) - +2mins 15secs
4. Demi Vollering (Ned/FDJ-Suez) - +3mins 3secs
5. Yara Kastelijn (Ned/Fenix–Deceuninck) - +3mins 3secs

General Classification After Stage Eight

1. Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Fra/Visma-Lease a Bike) - 26hrs 16mins 11secs
2. Sarah Gigante (Aus/AG Insurance-Soudal) - +2mins 37secs
3. Demi Vollering (Ned/FDJ-Suez) - +3mins 18secs
4. Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Pol/Canyon-Sram-ZondaCrypto) - +3mins 40secs
5. Cedrine Kerbaol (Fra/EF Education-Oatly) - +4mins 11secs

Ferrand-Prevot's victory not only cements her status as one of the sport's greats but also brings her one step closer to achieving her dream of winning the Tour de France Femmes.