Lotte Kopecky's unmatched strength on the final ascent secured her the stage 1 victory at the Tour de France Femmes, but it left members of the select chase group questioning whether they could have done more to prevent another SD Worx victory.
"I feel frustrated with myself with how I rode in the final," said Kasia Niewiadoma as she cooled down on the trainer after the hilly opener. The stage finished with a category 3 ascent over the Côte de Durtol that peaked with 9km to go, followed by a fast descent and run-in to Clermont-Ferrand.
