The TDFF visits Champagne country in stage three

WORDS: REBECCA BLAND
IMAGES: ZAC WILLIAMS

Stage three was another hectic day with the race won on the later climbs after multiple race-splitting attacks. The 133km course featured five categorised climbs throughout the beautiful Champagne region, an introduction to the hilly parcour we will now see throughout the rest of the race.

Lizzie was our designated leader for the day, as DS Nico explained before the stage.

“Today looks like a really tough stage, but we will try to race again like yesterday. Our chance today will be with Lizzie, and I think they will have some open doors so we will try again to anticipate and animate the race.”

While the first 80km started fast, it was relatively calm compared to yesterday's stage. Lizzie gave us an insight into the day.

“I think after a hectic day yesterday, everyone was still a bit stressed so the start was just super fast. But the girls tried to keep me in a good position all day which was probably quite hard for them.

"But yeah, it was just full gas from the start and then up and down all day which also made it super hard. Then coming into the key moment at about 80k, it started to kick off, and riders started dropping so the peloton gradually got smaller and smaller.

"Then up the big climb, it split to pieces again. I think I was in the third group on the road with about 10 riders. Riders started dropping back and then up to the finish I tried to go as hard as possible up the last climb."

Lizzie’s efforts secured her a top 30 finish on the stage, and with it, she has moved up to 19th overall on GC. Maike ended her reign in the white jersey today but expectations were exceeded during the first two stages and her performances helped enormously with the team’s ambition to animate the Tour de France Femmes.

Stage four begins in Troyes and takes in 126.8km of undulating roads until the finish in Bar-sur-Aube. You can watch it live on GCN+.

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