The route of the French opener was mostly flat but featured a tough finale. In the finish town of Laudun-l’Ardoise, the riders faced a one-kilometer climb with an average gradient of ten percent. Maud Oudeman and Mijntje Geurts worked tirelessly throughout the day, setting up their teammates perfectly for the decisive kilometers.

De Vries shared her feelings after crossing the line in fifth. “I felt really good today. It was a bit like calm before the storm all day. I barely had to waste any energy before the finale. The wind did play a role, but as a team we managed it very well”, the Dutch rider said.

She went on to explain further: “So it was all about waiting for the last stretch. Mijntje and Maud kept us out of trouble and put us in a great position at the front. That allowed us to go all-out in the closing kilometers. In the end I launched an attack, but I pushed a little too deep. I still finished fifth, which was also the position I started the climb in. The credit really goes to the team. The upcoming days may suit us even better, so we stay hungry for strong results.”