The composition of teams for the Tour de France Femmes has significantly changed, creating a more open competition among top riders. The previous dominance of Anna van der Breggen and Annemiek van Vleuten has shifted, with multiple strong contenders like Kasia Niewiadoma emerging. Rankings have also changed, with FDJ-SUEZ leading significantly this year, showcasing a more evenly matched field. The unpredictability and learning curves from the new team dynamics further heighten the competition's intensity this season.
The competition at the top is intense; Kasia Niewiadoma already demonstrated in 2024 that even the strongest of favorites isn't safe, as she bested Demi Vollering by four seconds.
As two-time Giro d'Italia winner Elisa Longo Borghini said before claiming her second Giro d'Italia title, this season so far is one where there have been a 'lot of princesses, but never a queen'.
Not only are the teams more evenly matched, but the unpredictability as to what's next is heightened by the learning process that occurs when new dynamics are at play.
Long gone is the era where the mountainous stage races repetitively came down to a two-way battle between Anna van der Breggen and Annemiek van Vleuten, or later presumptive heir apparent Demi Vollering.
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