Dutch rider Charlotte Kool claimed victory in the opening stage of the Tour de France Femmes, finishing first in a bunch sprint in The Hague. Kool, representing DSM-Firmenich PostNL, surged ahead with approximately 100 meters remaining, successfully fending off her competitors to secure the first leader’s yellow jersey of the eight-stage race.
Finland’s Anniina Ahtosalo of Uno-X took second place, while Italian Elisa Balsamo of Lidl Trek finished third. Pre-race favorite Lorena Wiebes encountered mechanical trouble, suffering a dropped chain with 200 meters to go, which prevented her from contesting the finish.
“It was really hectic but I like it. I kept on thinking, ‘OK I like hectic, I like chaos,'” said the 25-year-old Kool. “I went so early and I thought it’s too long and it hurt so bad but it was enough in the end.”
The first stage covered a flat 124 kilometers, starting in Rotterdam and concluding in The Hague. This year marks the third edition of the race and the first time it has begun outside France.
A significant crash occurred in the peloton with 69 kilometers remaining, resulting in several riders being halted; however, no serious injuries were reported. Wiebes was in a strong position, following lead-out rider Barbara Guarischi, but her chain issue forced her to withdraw from the sprint. Kool took advantage of the situation, following Guarischi before launching her attack as the Italian glanced back to see Wiebes falling behind.
Defending champion Demi Vollering navigated the stage without difficulty, finishing safely in the main group.
The Tour de France Femmes continues in the Netherlands with two stages scheduled for Tuesday. The riders will tackle a 67-kilometer flat course from Dordrecht to Rotterdam in the morning, followed by a 6.3-kilometer individual time trial in Rotterdam in the afternoon. The race will transition from the Netherlands into Belgium on Wednesday, ultimately arriving in France on Thursday, with the final stage set for Sunday.
