Lorena Wiebes has seized the first yellow jersey of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes. The Dutch cyclist powered past race favourites Kim Le Court and 2023 champion Demi Vollering on the Côte Saint-François in Lausanne to claim her sixth career stage win in the Tour de France Femmes.
Wiebes' victory comes after a controversial disqualification from the opening stage of the 2026 women’s Giro d’Italia in May, where her bike was deemed to have an illegal weight. This outcome has led her team, SD Worx-Protime, to consider legal action against cycling's governing body, the UCI.
The 138km opening stage saw a four-rider breakaway build a significant lead before being reeled in. Despite Demi Vollering leading into the final 600m, Wiebes' speed proved decisive, with Vollering also being overtaken by Le Court in the closing metres.
Marlen Reusser, a main contender, experienced a crash 21km from the finish but was able to rejoin the peloton with the support of her Movistar teammates.
Wiebes' team manager, Danny Stam, stated that a legal case against the UCI is pending, citing inconsistencies in the bike weighing process. Wiebes herself expressed frustration over the varying weight measurements during the process.