Key events
71km to go: This “flat” stage certainly does look pretty hilly to my non-expert eyes. Merciless, the Tour, even in these early stages.
Confirmation that Ema Comte picked up two points for being first across the line on today’s third climb, pipping Anouska Koster who picks up a point for second.
Updated at 10.31 EDT
73km to go: A reminder that the five-rider breakaway (now up to 2min 20sec) is Eline Jansen, Yuliia Biriukova, Carlotta Cipressi, Anouska Koster and Ema Comte.
The last two contest the sprint at the at the summit of the Côte de Cossonay. Did Comte just nick it ahead of Koster? TBC, it was very close. We await confirmation.
77km to go: The gap from those breakaway riders to the pack is up to two minutes. We’re past halfway through the stage and the Côte de Cossonay is about to begin – the third of today’s climbs with a 5.66% gradient.
“If she sees a finish line, she explodes,” warns Danny Stam, team manager of SD Worx‑Protime, of his star sprinter Lorena Wiebes. But he’s realistic about the aim of a second successive stage win. “It’s really hard to control the race. I don’t want to build the team too early … we hope we can create a bunch sprint but it will not be easy.”
84km to go: We’re going through Assens – downhill with a way to go before the next climb: the category four Côte de Cossonay midway through the stage. Océane Mahé is back up with the peloton. Good to see.
89km to go: Eline Jansen, Yuliia Biriukova and Carlotta Cipressi are the trio of riders leading a breakaway – Ema Comte and Anouska Koster are aiming to stay with them. One minute and seven seconds is the gap to the peloton.
A spectacular view for these two Tour fans in Chexbres – known as the “Balcony of Lake Geneva”. You can see why.
The peloton passes by on stage two. Photograph: Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone/APShare
95km to go: The pack still very much together, although Mahé is now around 40 second back in the polka dots … As I type that Eline Jansen goes on the attack! The young Dutch rider is attempting to make the day’s first decisive break. Who will go with her?
Jeremy Boyce emails, in praise of Ma Petite Entreprise – well said. It was a great story from stage one.
“Had a lovely ride myself this morning (need to get out early, I live in the south of France, it’s 36C now), now following the women on Eurosport and your pages. How great a concept is Team Ma Petite Entreprise?
“It takes vision to come up with that kind of idea, then the energy to make it work. As you say, their Tour is already made after yesterday, they can enjoy themselves now. They’ve just interviewed the MPE Race manager and he comes across as a very switched on guy, he was very complimentary about Océane Mahé, she’s still studying alongside her MPE rides.
“I wish them luck, I wish the Tour Femmes luck too, if the dosh was there MPE might not exist, but they’ve done a great job creating LTF in its new/current format. A lot of this is down to Marion Rousse, and the willingness of Le Tour management to get behind her and the rest of the women.”
100km to go: The second climb of the day is won by Marion Bunel, ahead of Maëva Squiban. A few more contenders for the QoM. In other news, Lorena Wiebes in the yellow jersey has managed to stay with the peloton in the hills, which could be bad news for her rival sprinters. We shall see! This race is rarely predictable.
Updated at 09.50 EDT
105km to go: We’re on to the second climb, the category four Côte de Savigny – the pace remains pretty high, any attempted breakaways still being swallowed up. Océane Mahé in polka-dot jersey has dropped back, however. Possibly paying for yesterday’s immense effort.
108km to go: The average speed is 38.6kph for the first hour. Not too slouchy, all things considered, on a hot day. So Kerbaol picks up three points for that first climb, the EF Education-Oatly rider might be targeting the Queen of the Mountains jersey.
111km to go: I told you what a tightly packed peloton it was in the early going – as you can see for yourself.
That said, it’s starting to spread out a bit now, with Cédrine Kerbaol first to the top of the opening climb on Côte de Chexbres, followed by Puck Pieterse in second and Sara Casasola in third.
The peloton passes through the village of Chexbres. Photograph: Jean-Christophe Bott/EPAShare
A reminder that while scenic Switzerland is home for the entirety of this stage, next year the Grand Départ for both the men’s and women’s race is the UK.
The Tour de France Femmes races from Leeds to Manchester, then to Sheffield and also includes a central London stage. Allez! Or as we say in Blighty: go!
115km to go: We’re into the hills now, the first of the five climbs well under way as the riders head up to the summit of the Côte de Chexbres (3.2km at a 5.6% gradient). We’re in the hills for the next 70km or so.
117km to go: Several more attacks, Alison Jackson pushing again and Idoia Eraso (wearing the green jersey) also involved in a few moves. But once again; nothing decisive. It’s all still very tight in Vevey.
France’s Océane Mahé is wearing the polka dot Queen of the Mountains jersey today. An incredible result for the Ma Petite Entreprise team, who will be delighted – their Tour made on stage one, in fact!
Ma Petite Entreprise’s Océane Mahé celebrates on the podium wearing the polka-dot jersey. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/ReutersShare
125km to go: Still very few gaps in the peloton. Alison Jackson is part of a group that eke out a small opening, but the Canadian and her compadres are soon caught up. No major moves as yet!
Lorena Wiebes on her win yesterday: “The sprint was hectic and it was mostly about staying upright. The last kilometres were a real fight for position and quite technical along the canal. In a sprint you can never be sure, you have to find the right gap …
“I got in a good position and from there I could ride my own sprint. It’s nice to already have a stage in my pocket. I hope to be able to strike again.”
Ominous words! Let’s see if Wiebes can indeed strike a second time – you wouldn’t bet against her if she’s lurking at the finish.
Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) at the start of the second stage of the Women’s Tour de France. Photograph: Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone/APShare
135km to go: The pack largely together in the early going – despite a few moves – nothing decisive so far. We’re still around 15km from the first climb.
A quick reminder of what happened on stage one as today’s action gets properly under way. Jeremy Whittle was on the scene for us in Lausanne.
double quotation markLorena Wiebes took the first yellow jersey of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes after climbing the Côte Saint-François and outsprinting race favourites Kim Le Court and 2023 champion, Demi Vollering.
“The team worked super hard today,” Wiebes said. “When Demi attacked, I knew I had to follow. It was a long sprint, but I’m super happy.”
It was the Dutch rider’s sixth stage win in the Tour de France Femmes. The 27-year-old also won the opening stage of the 2026 women’s Giro d’Italia in May but was disqualified because her bike had an illegal weight, an outcome which left her team considering legal action against cycling’s governing body, the UCI.
So at a tick before 1.30pm (BST) the racing begins! The 143 riders are officially in competitive action in Switzerland.
Top 10 GC after stage one
1) Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) 3hrs 29min 01sec
2) Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal) +0:04sec
3) Demi Vollering (FDJ United–Suez) +0:06sec
4) Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech) +0:10sec
5) Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly) +0:10sec
6) Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team L’Imad) +0:10sec
7) Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) +0:10sec
8) Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike) +0:10sec
9) Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) +0:10sec
10) Marlen Reusser (Movistar) +0:10sec
How the riders shape up after stage one. You might not think it matters too much in GC terms, but a reminder that Vollering lost the 2024 Tour de France Femmes by just four seconds. So every small advantage counts.
Updated at 10.12 EDT
Preamble
Welcome to stage two of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes – Aigle to Geneva – and officially categorised as flat but containing five categorised climbs on the route. Just cruel if you ask me. That said, the final climb is more than 40km from the finish, so we’re likely in for a bunch sprint.
That, of course, could play into the hands of one Lorena Wiebes – your race leader after her victory on stage one. The Dutch sprinting ace finished ahead of Kim Le Court and the pre-race GC favourite Demi Vollering, who are second and third respectively after a dramatic day.
Stage two is 147.9km and the route passes close by the UCI headquarters and the World Cycling Centre, then heads along Lake Geneva, before the finish on Quai du Mont-Blanc. It should look wonderfully picturesque. For us, if not for all of the riders toiling away in the heat. The first climb comes about 30km in with the Côte de Chexbres.
The neutralised start is at 1.20pm (2.20pm CET) before they reach kilometre zero and the racing begins. Stay with us for updates!