Brilliant van Vleuten powers to yellow jersey in women’s Tour de France

LE MARKSTEIN, France: Dutch veteran Annemiek van Vleuten took the yellow jersey in the women’s Tour de France with a crushing performance in the mountains which powered her to a remarkable solo victory on Saturday’s penultimate stage.

Movistar rider van Vleuten, 39, began the day almost a minute and a half behind the leader Marianne Vos but raced solo with 62km still to go in the mountainous 127.5km stage from Selestat to Le Markstein Fellering.

Demi Vollering (SD Worx) finished second, 3mins 30sec behind, with Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez) winning the sprint for third.

Van Vleuten, who was sick at the start of the week and almost pulled out of the Tour, now leads by 3min 09sec ahead of Vollering and is the clear favorite to win the race when it ends with Sunday’s stage eight on the Super Planche des Belles Filles.

“It has been such a roller coaster,” said van Vleuten.

“I have been so sick and to win with this is unbelievable and beautiful. To finish here solo, I had to try because I was behind.

“My style is always attacking not waiting for the final (sprint).”

Van Vleuten attacked as soon as the peloton arrived at the Petit Ballon, the first of the day’s tortuous climbs.

“I did a reconnaissance of the stage and noticed that the Petit Ballon was a difficult climb,” she said.

“After six days of waiting, surviving and recovering, I wanted to make the biggest time gaps and it meant going on the first climb. This stage suited me really well. I knew if I would be fit enough after being sick, it would be my day.”

Team Jumbo-Visma rider Vos, who held the yellow jersey at the start of the day after clocking two wins and five podiums in the opening six stages, was unable to stay in touch and eventually limped in