Amber Kraak claimed a superb solo win on stage 2 of the 2025 Tour de Suisse Women, taking full advantage of an early breakaway and stamping her authority on the final climb. Behind her, the general classification fight took on a new level of urgency as Kasia Niewiadoma, Mavi García, and Elise Chabbey gained time on overall leader Marlen Reusser and closest rival Demi Vollering, who once again spent much of the day watching one another.
The 161-kilometre stage from Gstaad to Oberkirch featured three categorised climbs, with the decisive action playing out on the final ascent of the Buechenhübeli – 5.7km at 6.1% – which crested with just under 20km to go. After a long, uneventful start, a break of five riders was allowed clear by the peloton, building a lead of nearly seven minutes. Kraak was joined in the move by Marta Lach, Carina Schrempf, Henrietta Christie and Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka.
Kraak had originally gone up the road to serve FDJ-Suez teammate Vollering later in the stage, but as the gap grew, the team switched objectives. With little cooperation behind and no urgency from the GC teams, the breakaway was left to fight it out amongst themselves. On the final climb, Kraak showed she was the strongest, accelerating clear and distancing her companions with ease.
After cresting the top solo, she had 25km still to ride, but with no chasers in sight, she extended her lead all the way to the finish. Her winning margin over Lach was 1:55, with Schrempf a further 13 seconds back. It was Kraak’s third professional victory, and the fifth different FDJ-Suez rider to win in the space of a week.
While the breakaway took the top honours, the battle behind was far from quiet. The GC favourites left it late, but Niewiadoma, García and Chabbey took advantage of a lull between Vollering and Reusser to spring clear shortly after the summit of the Buechenhübeli. The Swiss leader and the Dutch challenger had once again neutralised one another, leaving their rivals an opening.
The attacking trio quickly gained 30 seconds, which they held to the line. Niewiadoma, who had lost time on a descent in stage 1, made up a third of her deficit to Reusser and moved into a much stronger position overall. García climbed from 17th to fifth, overtaking a cluster of riders including Niamh Fisher-Black and Urška Žigart, while Chabbey also edged closer.
Reusser still leads the general classification by four seconds over Vollering, but the dynamic between the two appears increasingly strained. Reusser was open post-stage about her frustrations, saying Vollering “isn’t the person to take a lot of responsibility” and “panics a lot,” while hinting that the Dutch rider’s behaviour has created unnecessary risk in the race.
With two stages remaining, including a punchy stage 3 and a hilly finale around Küssnacht, the GC battle has been blown wide open. Reusser remains in yellow, but she and Vollering are now being closely stalked by a group of motivated rivals who smell opportunity in the cracks of a tense rivalry.
2025 Tour de Suisse Women Stage 2 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Getty
