Anna van der Breggen Withdraws from Tour de France Femmes Ahead of Mont Ventoux Stage

Anna van der Breggen has withdrawn from the Tour de France Femmes just before the crucial Mont Ventoux stage, marking a significant loss for the competition.

The 36-year-old Dutch cyclist faced difficulties throughout the race, losing substantial time in both the time trial and stage 5, ultimately falling to 28th place, over 17 minutes behind the leader. Team officials noted that she had not been feeling well since the beginning of the event, prompting the decision to prioritize her health.

Van der Breggen, a prominent contender who previously secured second place at the Vuelta a España Femenina and third at the Giro d’Italia Women, is the latest high-profile rider to exit the race, which has seen challenging conditions leading to the withdrawal of 16 competitors so far.