Overview
- Lorena Wiebes of Team SD Worx-ProTime won the opening 138 km stage in Lausanne on Saturday and took the first yellow jersey after a late bunch sprint.
- The race runs nine stages over 1,175 kilometres with heavy climbs including a Mont Ventoux summit finish that could decide the overall classification.
- Pre-race favourites Demi Vollering and defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot are framed as the main contenders for the general classification, with Marianne Vos riding primarily to support Ferrand-Prévot.
- Dutch regional rosters are smaller than last year, with seven riders from North Brabant and five from the Province of Utrecht starting the race, including Utrecht riders Lorena Wiebes, Mischa Bredewold, Nienke Vinke, Puck Pieterse and Femke de Vries.
- Team roles and last-minute absences are shaping tactics: Puck Pieterse is Fenix-Premier Tech’s designated kopvrouw targeting stage wins and possibly a day in yellow, Amber Kraak will assist Vollering, Silke Smulders is assigned mountain support after recovering from injury, and riders such as Pauliena Rooijakkers and Mijntje Geurts are absent for personal or health reasons.