Greig Leach

Here in the bread basket of France near everything looms large over the flat wheat fields. It is a bit nerve wracking to see the cameramen on the back of the motorcycles leaning low to the ground to get these kind of shots. But I am glad they do. This foursome went away early with Femke Gerritse (Parkhotel-Valkenburg) getting the few Queen of the Mountains points in the early kilometers of the stage. She is now equal on points, but somehow the jersey stays on the shoulders of her teammate Femke Markus. So they share QOM points, a team bus, and a first name. She was joined by Maret Raaijmakers (Human Powered Health), Sabrina Stultiens (Liv Racing Xstra) and Rotem Gatinovitz (Roand Cogeas Edelweiss Squad), the only Israeli in the peloton. They built up a minute and a quarter on the peloton, before the sprinters' teams began to take an interest.