Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2026 Stage 9: Nice to Nice

Betsy, Molly, and Rosael break down the final stage of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, a thrilling 99-kilometer mountain circuit from Nice to Nice featuring four ascents of the Col d'Eze. ### Stage 9 Recap - The 99-kilometer stage started explosively with early attacks from Franzi Koch and Maeva Squiban, who attacked despite a heavy crash the day prior. - Lorena Wiebes secured the intermediate sprint early in the race, effectively locking up the green jersey. - Zoe Backstedt put in a massive "tractor style" effort on the climb to isolate race leader Demi Vollering for her Canyon SRAM teammate Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney. - Marlen Reusser crashed on a left-hand turn with 56 kilometers to go, forcing her teammates to drop back and pace her into the group. - On the final, steeper ascent of Col d'Eze, Niewiadoma-Phinney launched an attack, but a comfortable-looking Vollering easily went with her. - Vollering counter-attacked to reach the summit with an 18-second advantage over Niewiadoma-Phinney. - Showcasing masterful descending skills, Vollering extended her lead to win the stage and become the first two-time overall winner of the race. - Paula Blasi crossed the line in second place on the stage, 1 minute and 4 seconds behind, with Niewiadoma-Phinney taking third. - **Final General Classification:** Demi Vollering secures the overall win, Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney finishes second, and Elisa Longo Borghini claims third. - **Jersey Winners:** Lorena Wiebes retains green, Puck Pieterse keeps the polka dots, and Antonia Niedermaier holds white. ### Deep Dive: Zoe Backstedt - A profile on the 21-year-old Canyon SRAM rider from Wales who ripped the race apart on the Col d'Eze. - She holds nine world championship titles across junior and under-23 categories in road, cyclocross, and track disciplines. - Cycling is in her blood: her father is 2004 Paris-Roubaix winner (and Canyon SRAM sports director) Magnus Backstedt, her mother is 1998 British National Road Race Champion Megan Hughes, and her sister is World Tour pro Elynor Backstedt. ### Off the Bike - The hosts discuss the aftermath of the Stage 8 cornering incident between Celia Géry and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney, agreeing that the drama is ultimately good for the sport as it highlights racing tactics rather than relying on gendered narratives. - The hosts answer listener questions, noting the 2027 Tour is officially set for nine days, starting in Yorkshire on Friday, July 30th with a Team Time Trial on stage three. - Approximately 46% of the Tour de France Femmes starting peloton (68 of 147 riders) do not have publicly confirmed contracts for the 2027 season, compared to just 25% of the men's peloton. - Tips on how fans can support women's cycling, including hosting watch parties, buying team merchandise, supporting sponsors, donating to the Cyclist Alliance, and paying for sports journalism. ### Sponsors & Info **Presented by:** Bike Tires Direct and SRAM, presenting sponsors of Queen Stage's Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift coverage. **Giveaway:** Win the final daily Queen Stage musette (featuring an e-pump, watch the femmes cap, and a ride wallet). Head to Instagram (@queenstage.cc), find the Stage 9 highlight post, follow Bike Tires Direct, and tag two friends in the comments to enter. Save 10% at biketiresdirect.com with code **queenstage**. **Contact:** [info@queenstage.cc](mailto:info@queenstage.cc)