In a commanding performance, Yara Kastelijn surged to her first WorldTour victory in the fourth stage of the 2023 Tour de France Femmes, finishing with an impressive 71-second lead.
Despite finishing 14th, Lotte Kopecky managed to maintain her grip on the yellow jersey she secured in the inaugural stage.
Kastelijn, a Dutch cyclist, was part of a 14-rider breakaway and launched her solo move in the last 20km, ending with a 71-second advantage over the trailing group.
“I can hardly believe it. It’s really a dream come true,” said the 25-year-old former European cyclo-cross champion.
“I consider this to be a team victory since I didn’t have to work hard all day. The other cyclists in the front group were upset with me, but our coach reminded us that we are here to win, not to make friends. I’m incredibly proud of this victory.”
Demi Vollering placed second after detaching from the peloton, reducing Kopecky’s overall lead by 16 seconds and rising to the second position in the general classification.
Another Dutch rider, Annemiek van Vleuten, who took home the Giro Donne victory earlier this month, finished just two seconds behind Vollering. This moved her to joint third in the overall standings with three other competitors.
The day’s stage, a 177km route from Cahors to Rodez, was the most extended stretch of this year’s tour.
The tour will continue with stage five on Thursday, taking riders from Onet-Le-Chateau to Albi.
Stage Four Standings
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Yara Kastelijn (Ned/Fenix-Deceuninck) 4hrs 38mins 39secs
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Demi Vollering (Ned/SD Worx) +1min 11secs
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Anouska Koster (Ned/Uno-X) +1min 12secs
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Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned/Movistar) +1min 13secs
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Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita/Lidl-Trek) Same time
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Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol/Canyon SRAM Racing)
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Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (SA/AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step)
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Celia Le Mouel (Fra/St Michel-Mavic-Auber 93)
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Kathrin Hammes (Ger/EF Education) +1min 23secs
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Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ger/Ceratizit-WNT) Same time
Overall Classification
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Lotte Kopecky (Bel/SD Worx) 15 hrs 47mins 25secs
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Demi Vollering (Ned/SD Worx) +43secs
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Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (SA/AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step) +51secs
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Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol/Canyon SRAM Racing) Same time
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Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita/Lidl-Trek)
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Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned/Movistar)
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Yara Kastelijn (Ned/Fenix-Deceuninck) +1min
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Liane Lippert (Ger/Movistar) +1min 39secs
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Juliette Labous (Fra/Team dsm-firmenich) +1min 48secs
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Cecilie Ludwig (Den/FDJ-Suez) +1min 49secs
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Yara Kastelijn victory
Who won the fourth stage of the 2023 Tour de France Femmes?
Yara Kastelijn won the fourth stage of the 2023 Tour de France Femmes, securing her first WorldTour victory.
What was the margin of Yara Kastelijn’s victory in the fourth stage?
Yara Kastelijn finished the fourth stage with an impressive 71-second lead over the next competitor.
Who holds the leader’s yellow jersey after the fourth stage of the Tour de France Femmes 2023?
After the fourth stage, Lotte Kopecky continues to hold the leader’s yellow jersey, a title she earned in the opening stage.
How did Yara Kastelijn manage to claim her victory in the fourth stage?
Yara Kastelijn was part of a 14-rider breakaway and went solo in the final 20km, eventually finishing 71 seconds ahead of the pursuing group.
Who came in second in the fourth stage of the Tour de France Femmes 2023?
Demi Vollering finished second in the fourth stage after breaking away from the peloton, reducing Kopecky’s overall lead by 16 seconds.
What was the longest stage in the 2023 Tour de France Femmes?
The longest stage in the 2023 Tour de France Femmes was the 177km stage from Cahors to Rodez.
More about Yara Kastelijn victory
- Tour de France Femmes 2023 Official Site
- Yara Kastelijn’s Professional Career
- WorldTour Cycling Events
- Review of the Giro Donne Race
- Profile of Lotte Kopecky
8 comments
Vollering took 16 secs off Kopecky’s lead.. this aint over yet folks!
yeah i heard bout the other riders being mad at Kastelijn but thats just the game isnt it? play to win
what a ride from Kastelijn! and she’s so young too..future’s lookin bright for her
kastelijn was a beast in cyclo-cross too… guess it translates pretty well to road racing eh.
so the dutch are pretty much dominating huh?
Kopecky still holdin on to that yellow jersey, though! Lot of race left…
Wow! Kastelijn really showed em how its done! 71 sec lead thats just nuts!
cant wait for thursday, gonna be another epic stage, mark my words.