Elisa Longo Borghini, yesterday heading towards Nice, gave it everything until the final meter, but this time she was facing an opponent who was simply unreachable. The eighth stage of the Tour de France Femmes confirmed Demi Vollering's excellent condition, capable of securing victory and, above all, reclaiming the yellow jersey. The Piedmont champion crossed the line in second place, holding on until the final moments and confirming herself as one of the main protagonists of the race.

For Elisa, it's an important result also with an eye on the general classification. The UAE Team ADQ rider is now fourth, 3'05" behind Vollering and less than two minutes from Swiss rider Marlen Reusser, who occupies the position directly ahead of her.

Yesterday's second place, however, leaves above all the feeling of a Longo Borghini in excellent condition. The only regret is represented by those final few meters in which Vollering made the difference.

«Well, in Nice I felt really good. It was a bit of a curse, she got away from me in the last 50 meters», Elisa said at the end of the stage.

A “curse”, she says with a smile, because the Piedmont rider knows perfectly well that today's winner had something extra. «I'm saying it jokingly, a curse. Demi was incredibly strong».

The stage was decided precisely in the final kilometers, when the pace became increasingly harder and the legs started to feel heavy. Vollering accelerated and Longo Borghini tried to respond, but couldn't manage to stay with the Dutch rider until the finish line. «It was definitely a motorbike in those final kilometers». A definition that well describes the speed and power shown by Vollering in the decisive part of the race.

Longo Borghini also sought help from Kasia Niewiadoma, the Mont Ventoux stage winner and one of the main protagonists of the general classification. But the Polish rider was also at her limit. «I tried to chase, I even asked Kasia for help, but maybe she was blocked too».

In the end, the two faced the final stretch together. «We arrived as we crested the climb, we basically arrived together».

No regrets, then. Just the awareness of having faced a Vollering on an exceptional day. «Really, congratulations to Demi today because she put on an exceptional performance».

The second place secured in Nice allows Elisa Longo Borghini to remain fully in contention for an important result in the general classification. The Piedmont rider currently occupies fourth place, 3'05" behind new yellow jersey wearer Demi Vollering. Ahead of her is also Marlen Reusser, from whom she is separated by less than two minutes. The fight for the podium, therefore, remains wide open. And above all, Elisa has shown she still has the legs to fight for a podium place.

After a time trial also affected by a bike change due to a chain slip and after the third place secured on Mont Ventoux, the Italian champion continues to be one of the most solid athletes at the Tour. Now comes the moment of reckoning. The question about the future is inevitable. What to expect from the next stage? The Piedmont rider doesn't look for shortcuts and doesn't make predictions.

«It will be tough and, as I said the other day, you go to the limit and then we'll see».

A phrase that describes what awaits the protagonists on the final day at the Tour. The differences in the classification are still fairly contained and every climb, every acceleration, and every moment of difficulty could shift the balance again.

Demi Vollering has reclaimed the yellow jersey and has shown herself to be the strongest woman. But behind her the fight is wide open. And in this battle there is also Elisa Longo Borghini who can look to the coming hours with one certainty: «the condition is there, the podium is still within reach and the Tour is not over yet».