Defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot has withdrawn from the Tour de France Femmes before the start of stage eight. Her team, Visma-Lease a Bike, announced that the French rider was not feeling well this morning and would not start the stage after consultation with medical staff.
Ferrand-Prévot had reportedly struggled to keep pace with the general classification contenders during the tougher stages this week. Her team wished her a speedy recovery following her withdrawal.
The race continues with Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney in the yellow jersey, though Demi Vollering remains a close challenger, with only stage-win bonus seconds separating them. Lorena Wiebes holds the green jersey, and is considered a strong candidate for the sprint finish in Nice, despite the stage featuring two category four climbs before the finish.