Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset won the third stage of the Tour de France Femmes with finish in Poligny after a wild and spectacular day that also earned her the yellow jersey. The Norwegian national champion of the Uno X team attacked when there were still 88 km to the finish line, a solo action that gained momentum kilometer after kilometer, resisting the peloton, which was guilty of underestimating her, but especially Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx Protime). The Belgian star was the protagonist of an endless chase, over 70 km, but never managed to catch up to the head of the race and finished in second place. This is a historic success for Norway, the first victory and first yellow jersey in the grand Boucle organized by Aso, but also the longest breakaway in Tour de France history. 

THE RACE. A very long and thrilling day at the Tour de France Femmes, 156.5 km from Geneva to Poligny with as much as 2500 m of elevation gain.  After the start in Swiss territory, the caravan finally entered France, tackling 4 categorized climbs that ended 24 km from the finish. 

A very fast start and especially uphill, shortly after the official start the road began to climb towards the Col de la Faucille and the peloton immediately exploded. Due to the hard pace set by the general classification contenders, all the sprinters lost contact, including yellow jersey wearer Lorena Wiebes. In the first kilometers of racing, Demi Vollering (FDJ United Suez), Puck Pieterse (Fenix Premier Tech), Noemi Ruegg and world champion Magdeleine Vallieres all crashed, but all quickly rejoined the group (EF Education Oatly).

88 km from the finish, Norwegian national champion Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset (Uno X Mobility) attacked the peloton and, kilometer after kilometer, in a steady manner, managed to gain over 5 minutes of advantage.  The Uno X Mobility team rider gave the peloton quite a hard time where, perhaps underestimating the Norwegian's move, no team took responsibility for controlling the situation. The only one to react was Lotte Kopecky, who attempted a solo chase. 

On the final climb of the day, the Cote de Chaux Champagny, about 2 km long, Kim Le Court Pienaar made an incredible acceleration and in no time the peloton literally exploded, leaving only 8 riders: Pauline Ferrand Prevot and Femke De Vries (Visma Lease A Bike), Demi Vollering (FDJ United Suez), Kasia Niewiadoma and Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon Sram), Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team L'Imad), Marlen Reusser (Team Movistar), Kim Le Court Pienaar (AG Insurance), Puck Pieterse (Fenix Premier Tech). The small group never found an agreement and so after about ten kilometers the previously dropped riders rejoined. 

It was an incredible stage finale, a real head-to-head battle with the last remaining energy between Sigrid Haugset, attacking for over 80 km and Lotte Kopecky, chasing for over 70 km. The former world champion had the Norwegian champion within striking distance for quite some time, but she fought through the fatigue, gritting her teeth and managing to secure a truly spectacular victory. 

Second place went to Lotte Kopecky, while the sprint of the group that arrived 2'50" back was won by Marianne Vos.  Among Italian athletes, we highlight the tenth place finish for Monica Trinca Colonel (Liv Alula Jayco).

Tomorrow Sigrid Haugset will wear the yellow jersey to face one of the most anticipated stages of the Tour de France Femmes: the 21 km individual time trial from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon that could reshape the general classification. 

STAGE RESULTS

1  Haugset Sigrid Ytterhus Uno-X Mobility 04:05:59

2  Kopecky Lotte Team SD Worx-Protime + 01:24

3  Vos Marianne Team Visma | Lease a Bike + 02:48

4  Ostolaza Usoa Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi + 02:48

5  Le Court Kim AG Insurance-Soudal Team + 02:48

6  Rüegg Noemi EF Education-Oatly + 02:48

7  Gery Célia FDJ United-SUEZ + 02:48

8  Kerbaol Cédrine EF Education-Oatly + 02:48

9  Mul Malwina Cofidis Women Team + 02:48

10 Trinca Colonel Monica Liv AlUla Jayco + 02:48

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION 

1  Haugset Sigrid Ytterhus Uno-X Mobility 11:17:56

2  Le Court Kim AG Insurance-Soudal Team + 02:02

3  Vollering Demi FDJ United-SUEZ + 02:06

4  Rüegg Noemi EF Education-Oatly + 02:10

5  Vos Marianne Team Visma | Lease a Bike + 02:10

6  Kerbaol Cédrine EF Education-Oatly + 02:10

7  Longo Borghini Elisa UAE Team L'IMAD + 02:10

8  Niewiadoma-Phinney Katarzyna CANYON//SRAM + 02:10

9  Pieterse Puck Fenix-Premier Tech + 02:10

10 Ferrand-Prevot Pauline Team Visma | Lease a Bike + 02:10