An Epic Battle for the General Classification: Recap of Tour de France Femme Stage 4

The longest stage of the Tour de France Femmes 2023 proved to be an intense battleground for the general classification contenders. With the first climb, the Col de Crayssac, coming early in the 147km road from Collonges-la-Rouge to Montignac-Lascaux, the race was set for a thrilling day of climbing and tactical moves.

At kilometer 16.5, Henrietta Christie (Human Powered Health) launched the first attack to claim points on the category 4 climb. However, Anouska Koster (Uno-X) led the charge to reel her in before the summit, earning two points ahead of Kathrin Hammes (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) and tying stage 3 attacker Julie Van De Velde in the mountains classification.

The leading group soon formed, including riders like Lucinda Brand (Lidl-Trek), Christine Majerus (SD Worx), Coryn Labecki (Jumbo-Visma), and others. They built a significant lead, with Cordon-Ragot even taking the virtual race lead at one point.

As the stage progressed, the breakaway’s advantage fluctuated, and SD Worx initiated a brisk chase to reduce the gap. On the Côte de Colombiès, the Dutch team carved minutes out of the escape’s lead, setting the stage for an exciting finale.

In the final 40km, the leaders’ group began to fall apart, and Kastelijn made a daring move to attack and solo to victory. Her Fenix-Deceuninck teammate Julie Van de Velde had a heartbreak on stage 3, but Kastelijn’s triumph brought redemption to the team.

Kastelijn’s victory also allowed her to reclaim the mountains classification lead after being on the attack on stage 2. The Dutch cyclocross specialist expressed her excitement, stating that it was a team victory, and she was incredibly proud of the achievement.

While Kopecky (SD Worx) held onto her race lead and finished 14th on the stage, Demi Vollering (SD Worx) gained valuable seconds on her rivals in the general classification. Thanks to a strong performance, Vollering moved into second overall, trailing Kopecky by 43 seconds.

The mountainous finale proved to be a captivating showdown, with elite riders attacking and countering each other’s moves. Demi Vollering’s sprint to second place made her believe she had won, but Anouska Koster (Uno-X) held off the chasing group to claim a commendable third place on the stage.

As the race reached its climax, the peloton faced intense competition on the steep final kicker to the finish, resulting in a thrilling and unpredictable conclusion to stage 4.

The longest stage of the Tour de France Femmes showcased the grit and determination of the riders, and the relentless pursuit of glory in the general classification added an extra layer of excitement to the race. With each stage bringing new challenges and opportunities, the Tour de France Femmes continues to captivate fans and inspire cyclists around the world.