Alison Avoine is crying inconsolably. Sitting on the ground, her face in her hands, the Frenchwoman's soigneur at St Michel - Preference Home - Auber93 tries to comfort her. Fans walk past, filtering away from the barriers by the finish line. They stop to look at the commotion, but the sight is distressing – they dare not stare too long. There are whispers, concerns. What has gone wrong? Why is that poor rider sobbing?
More than half an hour had passed since the end of stage five of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift when Avoine crossed the line. She had finished alongside her team-mate, Elyne Roussel, 131st and 132nd on the day – second last and last. Both made the time cut by a handful of minutes.
