Pauline Ferrand-Prévot took an incredible win at the Tour de France Femmes — her rivals knew they were doomed the moment they saw how effortlessly she was riding early in Stage 8.

PFP would ultimately drop Sarah Gigante on the steep slopes and powered clear on the penultimate stage. By the summit, she had minutes in hand. By the finish, the overall win was all but secured.

GC threats like Kasia Niewiadoma and Demi Vollering already knew winning the Tour de France Femmes title would be a serious battle.

“We immediately saw how easily Pauline was riding, she wasn’t breathing. So then we knew: oh dear, this is going to be tough,” the 2023 Tour winner, Demi Vollering, said in an interview with IDL Cycling.

Her ride capped a calculated week. The 32-year-old, better known in recent years for her mountain bike dominance, had returned to the road this summer with the Tour as her main target. She kept her cards close early. The French rider was cagey — avoiding any unnecessary effort — then delivered the decisive blow when it mattered most.

For French cycling, it was a long-awaited moment. Not since Jeannie Longo had a home rider taken such a commanding win in a women’s Grand Tour.

After a decade dominating MTB — and crushing it, as we all know — PFP returned to the road this season. With a Paris-Roubaix win already under her belt and now the Tour de France Femmes title, she’s cemented her comeback in incredible fashion.

Last year’s champ, Niewiadoma, battled hard on the descents during Stage 9.  She ended up moving up to third overall.  2023 champ Vollering had to settle for second. Gigante would lose her podium spot during the final stage, struggling with some of the technical downhills.

Canadian riders stood out, too. Nadia Gontova (Winspace – Orange Seal) and Magdeleine Vallières impressed, with Vallières finishing 18th overall — the best ever for a Canadian woman in this race. Sarah Van Dam (Ceratizit) earned a top-10 sprint finish. And our national champ Alison Jackson made her mark in breakaways.

On the final stage from Praz-sur-Arly to Châtel Les Portes du Soleil, Gontova delivered an inspiring performance, finishing tenth. She also lived up to her promise mid-race. “It’s super exciting being part of the race. And the crowds are incredible,” she said earlier. “I’m enjoying the learning experience and hoping to have good legs in the mountains.” (She did!)

Although the Tour de France Fellas and Tour de France Femmes are over, there’s lots of racing left. The Tour of Denmark is up next for men, and there’s also the women’s Tour du Pologne.  And don’t forget the WorldTour pros head over here to Canada for Les Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et Montréal. Tadej Pogačar is coming! And Wout van Aert! All reasons to check it out.