'Super proud' to win Tour
'Dream comes true' for Olympic and world champ van Vleuten in the first women's race
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LA PLANCHE DES BELLES FILLES (France) • Annemiek van Vleuten won the time trial at last year's Tokyo Olympics and has been a three-time world champion, but yesterday's victory in the inaugural women's Tour de France ranks up there.
The 39-year-old Movistar rider secured a resounding win in the eighth and final stage, a 123.5km mountain trek from Lure to La Planche des Belles Filles, to retain her yellow jersey, which she claimed with a brilliant solo performance in the penultimate stage on Saturday.
The veteran bided her time in the peloton before powering up the final climb to seal her general classification triumph.
She crossed the line 30 seconds ahead of fellow Dutchwoman Demi Vollering for a 3min 48sec winning margin over the eight stages, although her SD Worx rival at least had the consolation of winning the "Queen of the Mountains" polka-dot jersey.
Poland's Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon/SRAM) was third in the final standings.
In a testament to van Vleuten's grit, she had the strength to accelerate away on the final climb to seal a dominant stage win despite undergoing several bike changes after suffering some earlier mechanical problems and a punctured tyre.
She had been sick earlier in the week and had even contemplated pulling out of the race, but the opportunity to become the maiden Tour winner hardened her desire to stay on the "roller coaster".
Van Vleuten said: "That's actually a dream that comes true. Winning in yellow on the top... wow. And it was not an easy stage. It was not an easy week. It's been a super-big roller coaster for me, and even today, it was not easy. To finish here, solo, it's the best way.
"I'm super proud to be the first winner of the Tour de France for the women when it's back on the calendar, in this new version... wow, I hope it's a big start, and we can build this event to a bigger event for the women... I think it's a milestone to win this first one.
"I think it now can all sink in, and I can finally enjoy it. Yesterday was an unbelievable day but I still wanted to keep the focus... and now I can finally... go only ice cream and pizza tonight, and celebrate with this team... tonight, I can celebrate without thinking about tomorrow."
World governing body Union Cycliste Internationale has said the Tour de France Femmes has no link to past iterations.
This was the first time in 33 years the best female racers have been given the chance to compete in a multi-stage version of the world's greatest cycle race.
This edition offered total prize money of €250,000 (S$352,700), making it the richest race in women's cycling, with van Vleuten taking the winner's cheque of €50,000.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE