Vollering grabs Tour de France lead in Nice

Demi Vollering's late attack and solo break for victory earned the overall lead of the Tour de France Femmes on Saturday as overnight leader Kasia Niewiadoma finished third on the day.

The Dutch FDJ United-Suez rider now leads the Pole by eight seconds with a title struggle in the hills outside Nice ripe for a tense finale on Sunday's final stage with a series of four climbs of the steep seven-kilometre Col d'Eze.

Stage 8 was a 171.9 km run from Sisteron to Nice with a flat route interrupted by a late climb which the 2023 champion used to full advantage, dropping Niewiadoma on its steepest section.

The 29-year-old Vollering then extended her advantage to 17sec at the Nice seafront Promenade des Anglais finish line although Niewiadoma would later complain about FDJ tactics.

"I can't tell you how much I suffered, but with all the good people I have round me, that made it possible. I gave it everything," said Vollering, who appeared to be exhausted.

"This is proof that if you really believe in something, if you really dream big about something, then it doesn't matter what it needs to take, how much pain it will cost you."

The 31-year-old Canyon-SRAM rider Niewiadoma, who beat Vollering to the 2024 Tour de France femmes title by the agonising margin of four seconds, also slugged out on a climb day.

But after the finish Niewiadoma accused Vollering's team of gamesmanship, by blocking her during Vollering's attack.

"I was annoyed at the beginning of the climb because (Celia) Gery, on purpose, just blocked me to the barriers where I had to stop pedalling," she said after confronting Gery on live tv.

"If they want to compete, they should compete fair play and not look to block me on the barriers because I feel it is so childish. Honestly, I lost all respect for them for that."

Swiss rider Marlen Reusser who took the yellow jersey in Tuesday's time-trial and held on another day, is now in third place 1min 12sec off the pace, with Elisa Longo Borghini at 3min 05sec in fourth.

Defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot withdrew Saturday morning due to illness after having struggled to the finish line on Friday over 10min down at the line.

Puck Pieterse of Fenix-Premier Tech still leads the polkadot climb points rankings, Antonia Niedermaier of Canyon-SRAM leads the best young rider's standings and Lorena Wiebes retains the green sprint points standings she has led since the opening day.