The 2026 Tour de France Femmes got underway today with the opening stage, a 138 km loop starting and finishing in Lausanne, Switzerland.
It was an encouraging start for UAE Team L’IMAD, which delivered a solid performance on a demanding day marked by nervous racing and a challenging finale. Elisa Longo Borghini stayed with the front group throughout the decisive moments of the stage and crossed the line in an impressive sixth place.
Paula Blasi finished 12th, eight seconds behind the winner. Thanks to her result, the young Spaniard stepped onto the podium to receive the first White Jersey as the best young rider of the race.
It was an unfortunate day, however, for Dominika Włodarczyk, who was caught up in a crash near the front of the peloton with 1.3 km remaining. The Polish rider eventually finished 37 seconds down.
Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx-Protime) claimed victory in the bunch sprint and became the first Yellow Jersey wearer of the 2026 edition.
The race continues tomorrow with Stage 2, a 147.9 km route from Aigle to Geneva.
After receiving the White Jersey, Paula Blasi said: “Honestly, this White Jersey came as a bit of a surprise. I wasn’t thinking about it during the race because I was fully focused on working for the team. I’m really happy. It’s my first Tour de France Femmes, and wearing this jersey makes me very proud.”
(ph. @facepeeters)
