The second stage of the 2024 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift was won by Charlotte Kool (Team dsm-firmenich-PostNL) in the Yellow Jersey in front of the cheering crowds in Rotterdam, as she powered to the line ahead of closest rival Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) in an exciting bunch sprint. Behind the front two, Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike), Lotta Henttala (EF-Oatly-Cannondale) and Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) rounded out the top five. Kool now leads the GC by 14” in front of Anniina Ahtosalo (Uno-X Mobility) and Wiebes, ahead of Tuesday afternoon’s ITT around the city streets of Rotterdam.
An early start
Ahead of the afternoon’s Stage 3 ITT it was an early start for the peloton. The bunch composed of 148 riders rolled out of Dordrecht with the short but intense 69.7km Stage 2 route to Rotterdam ahead of them, taking the official start after a 6km neutralised sector at 10.03am. After a big crash in the bunch on a narrowing road at km 3, the peloton was split into four groups in the ensuing chaos. Alison Avoine (St Michel - Mavic - Auber93 WE), Carina Schrempf (Fenix-Deceuninck) and Ruth Edwards (Human Powered Health) were amongst those most significantly delayed by the crash, though by km 14 the peloton had come back together.
De Keersmaeker takes the initiative
Belgian rider Audrey De Keersmaeker (Lotto Dstny) attacked at km 30 and built up a 25" gap after 3 km solo at the front. Dilyxine Miermont (St Michel - Mavic - Auber93 WE) and Grace Brown (FDJ-Suez) crashed 32 km from the finish and although Brown was forced to change bikes the Olympic time trial champion did not appear to be significantly impacted ahead of the afternoon ITT. De Keersmaeker continued alone off the front, riding brilliantly and enjoying a 35" gap with 22km remaining.
Flying into Rotterdam
De Keersmaeker’s excellent effort at the front for Lotto Dstny won her the Combativity prize and her breakaway came to a conclusion as the peloton caught her with just under 10km remaining as the race entered Rotterdam. The battle was then fully on for the prime positions at the front of the bunch as the riders powered their way through the city, with Amber Pate (Liv AlUla Jayco) and her teammate Ruby Roseman-Gannon crashing just over 2 km from the finish. In an exciting finale GC leader Kool was just too strong for her rivals again, narrowly beating Wiebes to the finish line, with Vos, Henttala and Balsamo following closely behind.
