Sarah Gigante’s hopes of a podium finish at the 2025 Tour de France Femmes came undone on the descent of the Col de Joux Plane, as the Australian climber slipped from second to sixth in the general classification after a challenging and isolated day in the mountains.
Riding for AG Insurance-Soudal, Gigante had gone into the final stage sitting second overall after her impressive ride to the Col de la Madeleine. But while she and her teammates attempted to animate the race on the Joux Plane, the descent proved her undoing.
Speaking after the finish, Gigante explained that she was dropped quickly on the technical downhill. “There, I was distanced fast in the technical and long sections. I wasn’t feeling strong to begin with, so it turned into a really hard and lonely day.”
Photo Credit: GettyAfter being caught between groups, Gigante found herself in no man’s land and crossed the line almost four minutes behind stage and GC winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. The time loss saw her overtaken in the standings by Demi Vollering, Kasia Niewiadoma, Dominika Wlodarczyk and Niamh Fisher-Black.
Asked how she felt at the finish, Gigante smiled wryly and said, “My legs hurt.” While disappointed to miss out on the podium, she remained pragmatic. “Even though I wanted a better place in the GC, I still have to look back with some satisfaction. Of course I’m disappointed to miss the podium – that was one of my goals – but I gave everything.”
Gigante’s aggressive approach and performance on the Madeleine earlier in the race had earned her a strong foothold in the GC, but the final day’s descents and fatigue after a long week of racing combined to push her down to sixth overall.
Main photo credit: Getty
