Arlenis Sierra stars in important performance at Tour de France Femenino

August 2, 2022

Cuban Arlenis Sierra has just delivered her most important performance, providing vital support in the Tour de France Femenino.

She finished in 27th place in the race and her captain, Dutch cyclist Annemiek van Vleuten, won as champion after another tremendous climb that she crowned with victory at the top for the second consecutive day.

The Movistar team could not have finished better in an eighth and final stage that was "daunting" with 123.3 kilometers and three mountain passes, the last two of which were "leg-breaking" first category climbs.

Five riders were left for them after an accident involving Danish cyclist Emma Norsgaard on the fifth stage and after Annemiek pedaled the first days with stomach illness. All of this demanded maximum effort, especially from the Cuban as her principal teammate.

The final day was no exception and perhaps the worst. Van Vleuten was defending her leader's jersey, but about 50 kilometers from the finish Arlenis had to give her bike due to mechanical problems with her own. It happened right when a large group was launching an escape attempt. Far from waiting for her out of honor, they picked up the pace.

But the Olympic and world champion felt the support of her teammates and demonstrated the strength of her legs and mind, catching up with the escapees, among whom—strategically—Colombian Paula Patiño was riding.

About five km from the desired finish, Annemiek went up the climb alone, defying the untimely tactics of her rivals and the cruel climbs. On the last one, the cameraman's motorcycle following her dazzling pedaling fell to the ground almost at the summit of the Super Plance des Belles Filles, a grueling seven kilometers at 1,140 meters altitude.

At 39 years of age, she delivered a performance on the hills that confirms her as, if not the best, among the greatest in the history of women's cycling. From her, the 29-year-old from Manzanillo learns and grows, and for her to reach the finish line today in 64th place, with depleted strength, felt like a well-deserved victory.

Annemiek clocked a time of 3:37:23 hours "among the clouds," 30 seconds ahead of her countrywoman Demi Vollering (SD Worx), who for the second consecutive day could not follow her pace, but at least brought home the mountain prize. Then came, at 1:43 minutes, Italian Silvia Persico (Valcar) and at 1:52 Polish Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon).

Precisely Demi and Katarzyna escorted the Tour leader, in which Marianne Vos (Jumbo), also from the Netherlands, after five podiums in eight stages and looking better in the yellow jersey, claimed the green jersey for the points classification.

Arlenis says goodbye after almost 1,034 km as the best Latin American and with 14 points earned for stage finishes. Her teammate Patiño was the second best placed for Movistar, in 23rd place among the 109 riders who completed a race that saw 144 start in Paris.

The Spanish team finished fifth by teams and registered Annemiek as the new winner of a Tour edition that had not been held since 2009.

The Dutch star has already announced that she will retire from professional cycling when the 2023 season ends. There is still time to see her alongside the Movistar girls riding across plains and mountains. Meanwhile, Arlenis will keep training toward her major goal, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.