Charlotte Kool successfully defended her leader’s yellow jersey in the second stage of the Tour de France for women by narrowly defeating Lorena Wiebes in a thrilling finish in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Kool, riding for the DSM-Firmenich PostNL team, secured her second consecutive win in the eight-stage race by overtaking Wiebes just before the finish line with a time of 1 hour, 32 minutes, and 49 seconds, leaving Marianne Vos in third place.
“Dreams seem to come true quite fast these days. First, yesterday with the win and then to do it again with the team today in the yellow jersey, it is just incredible,” Kool expressed after her victory.
The first stage on Tuesday covered 69.7 kilometers from Dordrecht to Rotterdam, showcasing the picturesque Dutch landscape of flat polders, waterside dikes, and iconic windmills. Kool had initially claimed the yellow jersey by winning the opening stage in The Hague, maintaining a slim 14-second lead over Anniina Ahtosalo of Finland in the overall standings. Wiebes and Ahtosalo are tied for third place, while defending champion Demi Vollering trails by 20 seconds.
Following the morning stage, the riders prepared for an individual time trial of 6.3 kilometers through the streets of Rotterdam later in the day. The race will continue south into Belgium before crossing eastern France, concluding on August 18 with a challenging ascent up Alpe-d’Huez’s famed 21 hairpin bends.