THIS summer’s Tour de France Femmes will be only the fourth edition since its relaunch but it feels like the race already boasts an all-time classic thanks to Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney.

No-one who watched her take the biggest win of her career 12 months ago will forget the drama of the final day.

Niewiadoma-Phinney started the stage to Alpe d’Huez with an advantage of one minute 15 seconds over pre-race favourite Demi Vollering, but the Dutchwoman attacked on the Col du Glandon, building a lead of over a minute on her way to the stage win.

Behind, Niewiadoma-Phinney wrestled her bike up the Alpe, crossing the line and collapsing to the floor exhausted, still unaware if she had done enough.

When the calculations were done, Niewiadoma-Phinney had won by just four seconds — the smallest margin of victory in the history of the women’s or the men’s Tour de France.

“It was euphoric and unforgettable,” the cyclist told the PA news agency. “I think it’s proof of hard work and persistence and never giving up.

“I was lucky. I didn’t have to go through all the nerves and second counting. I was just doing my best. I was just on the bike fighting for my life.

“It’s fun listening to people’s stories, what they went through watching the race and how it affected them and how they were able to resonate with the pain I was experiencing.”

Victory in the biggest race on the calendar was a major breakthrough for the 30-year-old, who was third in both 2022 and 2023, in keeping with a career in which she has always been a major contender but rarely on the top step herself.

“For many years there were many occasions where I knew I was the strongest, I was making others suffer, but I was not able to finish it because in racing … there are so many variables and different factors,” she said.

“I feel like I always had confidence … because I knew I could make them suffer, but something else had to happen for me to cross the finish line first. I was never hard on myself because I knew the reality.”

Niewiadoma-Phinney was crowned Polish champion in late June, but her 2025 season has been hampered since a heavy crash at Strade Bianche in March. It was not until the Tour de Suisse that she showed real form with third place overall.

The last few weeks have been spent at altitude camp in Andorra, making the final preparations for her title defence.

Many riders struggle with the isolation of these remote training camps, but not Niewiadoma-Phinney.

“It’s not the lifestyle I want to continue for the rest of my life, but when I have a big goal I’m more than happy to dive into this monk’s lifestyle,” she said. “When you do that, you see the progress quickly.”

This year’s Tour has grown to nine stages, starting in Vannes on Saturday and heading east across France to a conclusion in the Alps.

Memories of last year will fuel Niewiadoma-Phinney’s search for more glory.

“Celebrations like that really make you tremble,” she said. “I feel like we are hungry for more.”