Kim Le Court-Pienaar saved her yellow jersey on stage 7 of the Tour de France Femmes after being dropped on the Col du Granier. Sarah Gigante stayed in GC contention despite another tricky descent. And Justine Ghekiere once again played a crucial supporting role. Together, the trio continue to carry AG Insurance-Soudal’s yellow dream into the Alpine finale.
‘My body just completely shut off’, Le Court’s rescue mission
Stage 7 had all the makings of a turning point, and Kim Le Court-Pienaar could feel it slipping. The yellow jersey on her shoulders was under real threat as she cracked on the final slopes of the Col du Granier. With a gap of over 30 seconds opening to the GC favourites and no teammates nearby, it became a fight for survival.
“My body just completely shut off at that moment,” Le Court said bluntly. “I had to focus on my own numbers and not kill myself on the climb.”
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Thomas MaheuxReaching the summit alone, she found herself with no immediate allies in the chase and had to rely on what she knew of the descent. Her only option was full commitment. “I think I almost died a few times on the descent,” she admitted. “But I’d done the recon and knew what was coming. Honestly, I went ten times faster than in the recon.”
That bravery paid off. She made the junction with 4km to go, only to find herself boxed in during a roundabout section by FDJ riders. “I almost hit the barrier,” she said. “I just screamed to let me through, it is what it is. I’m just glad I didn’t lose time.”
She finished the day still in yellow, with a 26-second buffer over Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, and acknowledged the depth of effort from her teammates this week. “They rode their hearts out for me,” she said. “It was my turn to ride mine out for them.”
Despite feeling under the weather in recent days, reportedly dealing with the effects of her menstrual cycle, she has fought to keep the jersey and is relishing the challenge ahead.
“We’ve got a few cards to play tomorrow,” she said with a smile. “Hopefully, we light some fireworks.”
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Pauline BalletGigante’s countdown to the Madeleine
While Le Court’s stage 7 was defined by a comeback, Sarah Gigante was already looking toward her moment. The long, steep summit finish on stage 8 – the Col de la Madeleine – has been circled on her calendar for months.
“August the second is a day I’ve been waiting for ever since the course came out,” she said, still buzzing post-stage.
The descent into Chambéry was another tough one for the Australian, who’s known for her climbing but still learning to descend in a peloton. She conceded 11 seconds but credits her teammate Justine Ghekiere for damage limitation.
“Justine saved my GC once again,” said Gigante, laughing. “She was giving me a mix of encouragement and yelling at me the whole way.”
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Pauline BalletGhekiere, fresh from being in the breakaway, waited at the summit for Gigante. “I had to coach her the whole descent,” the Belgian national champion explained. “She couldn’t hold the wheel at the end, but without me, she’d have lost way more.”
Gigante currently sits eighth overall at 1:14 and knows this is her best chance to climb back into the GC conversation. At the Giro, she took 45 seconds on Elisa Longo Borghini on Mount Nerone. Now the gradient and distance of the Madeleine offer even more.
“She’s been saving herself this whole week,” said Le Court. “The other teams don’t know what’s coming.”
Team director Jolien D’hoore has remained clear, even with Le Court in yellow, “I also want to fight for Sarah.” Rival managers have started to take note too. “She’s in a position to win the Tour de France now,” said Visma’s Jos van Emden. SD Worx-Protime boss Danny Stam went further, “I expect Gigante is going to hurt the rest of the peloton.”
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Thomas MaheuxBonus seconds and a balanced plan
As the Alps loom, AG Insurance-Soudal have no plans to prioritise one leader just yet. “It will decide itself,” said sports director Stijn Steels. “The Madeleine will be an honest climb and we’ll see who’s where.”
So far, the dual strategy has paid off. Le Court has collected 34 bonus seconds across the week, a margin Steels sees as valuable in the fight for the podium, if not the overall win. “Those seconds could make the difference against riders like Niewiadoma,” he said. “They cost little effort and were well worth it.”
Gigante’s time losses have largely come on descents, but her climbing is now expected to come to the fore. As Ghekiere put it, “She’ll fly up the Madeleine.”
Gigante has trained specifically for the descents with the help of a MotoGP rider, practising lines and entry speeds during a self-organised camp with her mum. Even so, the focus remains on what she can do uphill.
“I didn’t know which stage I was most worried about – all of them, honestly,” Gigante said. “But I made it here, and now I get to race up the Madeleine.”
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Pauline BalletStill one team
From the outside, it could look like a team with two leaders juggling internal tension. But inside AG Insurance-Soudal, the spirit remains unified. Ghekiere, Le Court and Gigante have worked for one another throughout the week. Ghekiere has supported both, Le Court praises her teammate at every turn, and Gigante constantly highlights the team effort behind her position.
“I’ve rarely seen a group this tight,” D’hoore said. “They’re not seven individuals, they’re a group of friends.”
They have two riders in the top eight, the yellow jersey still on their shoulders, and a stage tailor-made for their strongest climber coming next. What happens on the Madeleine could reshape the race. AG Insurance-Soudal are ready to find out.
Main photo credit: Getty
