Greig Leach

The gradual rise up to the line in Saint Die des Vosges it was clear it was going to take a strong power sprinter to win on the day. Just before the sprint was a sweeping right turn, for some reason Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) went left through the gap to let all of the race vehicles divert from the finishing straight. As I am writing this, I don't know if that mistake cost her time (and positions) in the general classification, or if the three kilometer rule was followed and she was given the same time as the lead group. So she was out of the sprint so it was her teammate (and World Champion) Elisa Balsamo mixing it up with Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) and Lorenas Wiebes (DSM) for stage honors. The victory went to the pure sprinter, Wiebes, with Balsamo claiming second. The third step of the podium went to Marianne Vos in her Maillot Jaune. The erstwhile Maillot Blance, Maike Van Der Duin (Le Col-Wahoo) was in the mix in fifth place. This may be my favorite painting of the Tour de France Femmes thus far. And definitely my favor sprint finish painting of either 2022 Tour de France.