Racing

TdFF Daily | Stage 8 | Our small but mighty team ends the Tour at the top of Alpe d’Huez

EF-Oatly-Cannondale completes its first-ever Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift

August 18, 2024

This evening, Kristen Faulkner, Noemi Rüegg, Lotta Henttala, and Alison Jackson got to experience history at the summit of Alpe d’Huez.

For the first time in its young existence, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift raced up the 21 switchbacks of the climb that is so iconic that cycling fans simply call it The Alpe.

At the top, Kristen, Lotta, Noemi, and Alison celebrated the finish of EF-Oatly-Cannondale’s first-ever Tour. They missed their teammates Magdeleine Vallieres, Kim Cadzow, and Clara Emond, who each had to leave the race early due to illness and injury, but toasted their return to good health.

This Tour was super tough. Although our squad didn’t get the stage win we were racing for, we came together and faced every challenge on the course with a smile. Five top-five finishes and a stage leading the team’s classification were our highlights on the results sheets, but for Kristen, Lotta, Noemi, Alison, Clara, and Mags the greatest memories were the cheers they heard from the roadside from all of the women’s cycling fans, and especially from the kids they inspired with their stories and the way that they rode.

We enjoyed those cheers all of the way up the Alpe and are already excited to come back and race the 2025 edition of Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

But, after eight stages in seven exciting days of racing, we’re going to celebrate the finish of this one first.

Read our riders thoughts from the end of the 2024 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

Kristen Faulkner

It’s been tiring. I'm not going to lie. I think the first few days I was so fatigued from the Olympics that I actually got better every day for the first few days. And then we hit the mountains and the fatigue just came crashing down on me.

We had nothing to lose by going hard in the mountains. We don't have a GC rider here with us and we weren't going to win a stage when I was up there on third on GC, so we just went forward and gave our best. On Alpe d’Huez, we could just enjoy the crowds with no real expectations, just go up and have some fun.

Yesterday, I was really suffering and at the top of the mountain there was this whole family that had a ‘Go Faulks’ sign. It was amazing to see them and feel their support. During the really hardest moments, I could just stand up on my bike and feel the strength they gave me all the way to the finish. It kept me going. It is definitely exciting to see little kids be so excited about women’s cycling and for them to feel like they have role models they can look up to with all of the women racing.

Lotta Henttala

It’s been hard. I think all of the riders will say the same. But, it's been fun as well. It was a tough, tough week. We’re left with four riders at the end, but I think there's been a lot of teamwork.

During the first stages, we tried to go for the lead out and I think we did some good work there. These last few days, we have been supporting Noemi and Kristen going into the big climbs, bringing them fresh bottles and just bringing them to the front when it's time. We've been a small, but mighty team.

The day we were on the podium together, we got some lovely medals. We also had some good days in the Ardennes. Those are nice memories.

Every stage was different. You enjoy them and hate them as well. I can't say which was the best. Of course it would be nice to be on the podium. I came close twice, but it's the Tour de France and it is super tough to win one stage. Maybe mine is still coming. To come here from where I was, I think was quite a good performance. I'm happy.

Noemi Rüegg

I look back on the Tour with a big smile. It was a really good time with the whole team. We didn't have the best of luck, losing a few teammates due to sickness and crashes, but I think we kept fighting till the end. We had a few top five finishes. I think we can be proud of that. Of course, we wanted to go for a stage win and we didn't achieve that, but, overall, we kept fighting and I think that brought us closer together as a team.

Meeting the Swiss ambassador to The Netherlands was really special. I've never met someone like that before and it made me feel special. It was nice to see other people being interested in the sport.

My mom was super special to have around as well. She was a big motivation for me. During the stages, I would know, okay, 20 kilometers to go, and then I can see my mom at the finish.

The crowds were amazing, like, really incredible. There were so many people cheering on every mountain and they were cheering for everyone, not only for the first ones. That gives you extra motivation. I really enjoyed that.

I also really enjoyed all the moments we had as teammates. We had some really fun times. The day when Mags and Kristen and I were in that first group on the Liège stage it was really nice. We were there with the three of us and we knew exactly what to do. We didn't really have to talk with each other. Kristen would be out of water again, so I would give her my water, and then Mags would give me her water. We all supported each other. That felt really, really cool.

Alison Jackson

We have had some good times and some sad times. I love the Tour for all the fans. There have been so many people who have turned up to watch the race, because they love women's cycling. I love to see it and to entertain people on and off the bike.

I've been just trying to help the girls try to win bike races, doing a lot of lead outs, bottle duty positioning. Once we got to the mountains, I was just surviving and enjoying the views.

There was this one awesome moment. I remember thinking when it happened that this was just the best thing. I love to see what fans do. One had this huge cutout of my face on a little dancing body. It was hilarious. I love seeing my name painted on the road.

Another favorite moment was when I was riding in the grupetto with a girl on St. Michel who's also named Alison. Everyone was shouting, Alison! Alison! She looks at me, and she just goes, ‘It's so nice sharing the same name as you.’ I was like, ‘Own it. I'm taking your fans here and you’re taking my fans here.’ It was pretty fun. That was a good moment.

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