Tour de France Femmes: Sigrid Haugset Dominates Stage 3

Haugset's Record-Breaking Solo Performance

On August 3, 2026, Sigrid Haugset delivered a stunning performance to claim victory on the third stage of the Tour de France Femmes, leaving even the formidable Lotte Kopecky in her wake.

The race began with a frenetic pace, highlighted by a crash involving strong contender Demi Vollering, who managed to continue without significant injury. Haugset made her move after approximately 70 kilometers, breaking away from the pack. The leading contenders allowed the Norwegian cyclist to gain a substantial advantage, and she surged ahead by over four minutes from the peloton, which included Antonia Niedermaier, now positioned 16th overall with a 2:18 minute deficit.

Despite Kopecky's attempts to close the gap, which saw her reduce the distance to just ten seconds with about ten kilometers remaining, Haugset found an extra gear. She pulled away again, finishing the stage with a remarkable lead of 1:24 minutes over Kopecky, while Marianne Vos crossed the line 2:48 minutes behind the leader.

Haugset Overwhelmed by Her Victory

This victory not only marked Haugset's second career win—her first being the Norwegian Championship just a month prior—but it also earned her the coveted yellow jersey as the overall leader. "I should say that a dream has come true, but I never thought about it because I didn't believe it was possible. It feels so surreal," the 27-year-old cyclist expressed after achieving the longest solo victory in the history of the women's Tour.

Reflecting on her performance, Haugset admitted, "At one point, I was sure Lotte would catch me and thought that second place would be nice. But everyone was cheering me on, and I did it; I can't believe she didn't catch me. It's fantastic. I still can't realize it."

Wiebes Faces Challenges

After dominating the earlier stages with two impressive sprint victories, Lorena Wiebes faced a challenging start on this stage. The first climb, the Col de la Faucille, proved too much for the sprinter, causing her to lose contact with the leading group early on. As the race progressed, her deficit increased, and she found herself far behind the leaders.

Wiebes will need to navigate the upcoming time trial and mountain stages carefully. Her next opportunity for a victory may arise on Saturday's eighth stage from Sisteron to Nice, which features four fourth-category climbs and a total elevation gain of 1,420 meters, setting the stage for a potential mass sprint and another chance for Wiebes.

Focus Shifts to the Yellow Jersey

As Wiebes aims to regain her position at the front, the battle for the yellow jersey intensifies. A time trial, returning to the Tour de France Femmes after two years, will take place on Tuesday. Spanning 21 mostly flat kilometers with a challenging incline midway, this stage will be crucial for the contenders as they vie for essential seconds before the decisive mountain stage at Mont Ventoux on Friday, which will feature two more demanding climbs, each exceeding 2,500 meters.