Sigrid Haugset Claims Historic Tour de France Femmes Stage Win and Yellow Jersey

KUALA LUMPUR, AUGUST 2026 — Norway’s Sigrid Haugset delivered a stunning solo performance to win Stage 3 of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes, securing the biggest victory of her career while taking control of the race’s general classification.

Riding for Uno-X Mobility, the 27-year-old attacked from long range and maintained her advantage over the chasing peloton to cross the finish line alone in Poligny after an extraordinary display of endurance and tactical awareness.

Haugset launched her decisive move on the climb of Col de la Savine before committing to a solo breakaway of nearly 90 kilometres.

Despite relentless pressure from the chasing group led by world champion Lotte Kopecky, the Norwegian champion maintained a steady pace and resisted every attempt to bring her back.

Kopecky eventually finished second after an impressive solo pursuit, while Dutch veteran Marianne Vos won the sprint for third place behind the leading pair.

The victory also earned Haugset the prestigious yellow jersey, making her the first Norwegian rider to lead the Tour de France Femmes since the race was revived in 2022.

She now holds a lead of more than two minutes in the general classification ahead of Mauritius rider Kim Le Court, with several leading contenders trailing further behind before the upcoming individual time trial.

Following the race, Haugset admitted she struggled to believe the result after spending most of the day alone at the front.

The Norwegian credited her Uno-X Mobility teammates for giving her the confidence to attack early and continue pushing despite the intense heat and the quality of the chasing riders.

The stage also reshaped the overall standings, placing pressure on pre-race favourites including Demi Vollering, Kasia Niewiadoma and defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot ahead of the race’s crucial time trial.

Vollering also survived an early crash during the stage before rejoining the peloton without losing significant time.

Haugset’s victory has been widely described as one of the greatest solo attacks in the history of the Tour de France Femmes.

Her breakaway, lasting close to 90 kilometres, ranks among the longest successful solo victories ever recorded in the modern edition of the race and immediately established her as a serious contender for the overall title.

Attention now turns to Stage 4, an individual time trial that is expected to significantly reshape the general classification.

Although Haugset enters the stage with a comfortable advantage, specialists such as Vollering and Kopecky are expected to mount strong challenges as the battle for the yellow jersey intensifies.

For now, however, the day belonged entirely to Haugset, whose fearless attack and historic triumph have become one of the defining moments of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes.