Just yesterday France had discovered its star, today Maeva Squiban pulled off a double by taking the seventh stage of the Tour de France Femmes. The 23-year-old from UAE Team Adq was first in the day's breakaway and then made the difference on the Col du Granier. Second place went to Cedrine Kerbaol (Ef Education) who escaped from the group in the final kilometers, with Ruth Edwards (Human Powered Health) taking third. Kimberley Le Court Pienaar, protagonist of an incredible descent, remains in the yellow jersey.

The Tour de France enters its decisive phase with the seventh stage from Bourg en Bresse to Chambery, a stage with 2/3 flat terrain and the last 60 kilometers with many ups and downs, 3 mountain passes with the last, the feared Col Du Granier, before arriving at the finish after a very long descent.

The first part of the stage was characterized by an attack by 17 riders: Chloe Dygert (Canyon Sram), Marie Le Net (Fdj Suez), Lotte Kopecky (Sd Worx Pro Time), Maeva Squiban (Uae Team Adq), Mareille Meijerin (Movistar Team), Lucinda Brand and Shirin Van Anrooij (Lidl Trek), Justine Ghekiere (Ag Insurance), Megan Jastrab (PicNic Postnl), Susanne Andersen (Uno X), Celia Le Mouel (Ceratizit), Ruth Edwards (Human Powered Health), Alicia Gonzalez (St Michel Preference Home), Alice Maria Arzuffi (Laboral Kutxa), Fiona Mangan (Winspace Orange Seal), Eline Jansen and Maud Rijnbeek (Volker Wessels Cycling Team). The peloton always limited itself to controlling, leaving the breakaway over 4'30" ahead.

The race heated up during the climb of Col du Granier with Maeva Squiban, yesterday's stage winner, setting the pace during the ascent and breaking away from her companions 21 km from the finish. In the peloton, Alpecin Fenix maintained an incredible pace that put many riders in difficulty, including yellow jersey Kim Le Court Pienaar. With a 1'32" advantage at the top of Col du Granier, Maeva Squiban managed the final kilometers perfectly to secure a beautiful Tour de France double.

The descent made all the difference in the group of best riders, with the yellow jersey, descending at high speed, managing to recover the over 30" she had lost on the climb. In the final kilometers, Cedrine Kerbaol escaped from the group, caught up with the former breakaway riders, and took second place, while Ruth Edwards completed the day's podium.

Tomorrow the Tour de France Femmes will face the queen stage of this year's edition. After departing from Chambery, the group will tackle the Col de Plainpalais (1st category), Cote de Saint Gorges d'Hurtieres (2nd category), and especially the feared Col de la Madeleine, 18.6 km with an average gradient of 8.1%. The classification remains wide open and spectacular action is guaranteed.

STAGE RESULTS

1 Squiban Maeva UAE Team ADQ 03:58:26

2 Kerbaol Cédrine EF Education-Oatly + 51

3 Edwards Ruth Human Powered Health + 51

4 van Anrooij Shirin Lidl-Trek + 53

5 Wlodarczyk Dominika UAE Team ADQ + 01:00

6 Le Court Kim AG Insurance-Soudal Team + 01:00

7 van der Breggen Anna Team SD Worx-Protime + 01:00

8 Vollering Demi FDJ-SUEZ + 01:00

9 Niewiadoma-Phinney Katarzyna CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto + 01:00

10 Fisher-Black Niamh Lidl-Trek + 01:00

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1 Le Court Kim AG Insurance-Soudal Team 22:28:31

2 Ferrand-Prevot Pauline Team Visma | Lease a Bike + 26

3 Niewiadoma-Phinney Katarzyna CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto + 30

4 Vollering Demi FDJ-SUEZ + 31

5 van der Breggen Anna Team SD Worx-Protime + 35

6 Rooijakkers Pauliena Fenix-Deceuninck + 01:04

7 Kerbaol Cédrine EF Education-Oatly + 01:09

8 Gigante Sarah AG Insurance-Soudal Team + 01:14

9 Muzic Evita FDJ-SUEZ + 01:35

10 Labous Juliette FDJ-SUEZ + 01:35