Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney won Friday's Tour de France stage on Mont Ventoux after launching a decisive attack halfway up the climb from Chalet Reynard. The Polish cyclist accelerated where the pine forest ends and white scree begins.
Race leader Marlen Reusser of Switzerland reached into her pocket for an energy bar or gel as Niewiadoma-Phinney rode ahead without looking back. Reusser made her move too late, losing the legendary stage and potentially the overall race leadership to her rival.
Personal Diet Transformation
The victory follows years of dietary changes that Niewiadoma-Phinney outlined in a January 2023 article titled What nutrition means to me by Kasia Niewiadoma on the website Welovecycling. She revealed that she neglected her diet for years, leading to bodily instability and irregular menstrual cycles.
A change of coach and nutritionist in 2022 initiated a structured revolution aimed at building success for the Tour de France. Leading into each season, she adopted an increasingly disciplined diet, though she kept specific in-season protocols and climb strategies strictly private. Modern professional cycling balances exact carbohydrate grams, body weight, and fat percentages to optimize human performance.
Mont Ventoux Climb History
Niewiadoma-Phinney completed the classic climb from Bédoin through Chalet Reynard in 1 hour and 6 seconds. As women climbed Mont Ventoux for the first time in Tour de France history, data remains limited, with stage runner-up Demi Vollering recording the second-fastest time.
Tadej Pogačar holds the overall record on the classic route with a time of 53 minutes and 47 seconds set during the 2025 Tour de France. Pogačar broke the 20-year record of 55 minutes and 51 seconds set by Iban Mayo at the 2004 Critérium du Dauphiné before Mayo was caught for doping. During his 1994 Ventoux victory, Italian cyclist Eros Poli, who stood 196 centimeters tall and weighed 85 kilograms, told L'Équipe that he wanted his grave epitaph to state that he was the biggest cyclist to win on Ventoux.
Power Output and Pelotonic Impact
On the measured 15.62-kilometer power section averaging an 8.69 percent gradient, Niewiadoma-Phinney climbed for 55 minutes and 22 seconds while generating 5.34 Watts per kilogram of body weight. Her effort established a new women's record across all climbs.
She broke the previous record of 5.04 Watts per kilogram set over 64 minutes and 50 seconds by Pauline Ferrand-Prévot on Col de la Madeleine during the 2025 Tour de France. Ferrand-Prévot's extreme body transformation for Alpine climbs generated global media debate regarding weight and body image in women's cycling. Before Friday's stage, Reusser publicly stated that Ferrand-Prévot's drastic weight loss put unhealthy pressure on the peloton, forcing other cyclists to cross dangerous limits to stay competitive.
High Exertion Caloric Requirements
During her 55-minute climb, Niewiadoma-Phinney weighed approximately 49 kilograms and required about 1,090 calories, operating at an estimated engine efficiency of 23 percent.
In comparison, a 100-kilogram man running at maximum speed for 55 minutes burns roughly 800 to 850 calories. Niewiadoma-Phinney needed over two and a half times more energy per kilogram of body weight than the runner, despite cycling having higher mechanical efficiency than running. Professional teams rely on team nutritionists operating like Formula 1 engineers to calculate and guard these energy formulas.
Stage Fueling and Recovery Protocols
Energy product manufacturers outline standard 4-to-6-hour mountain stage fueling for a 50-kilogram female cyclist. The process begins the evening before with a 500-milliliter bottle of Hydration 1500 containing 1,500 milligrams of sodium per liter to maximize cellular hydration, followed by a simple-carbohydrate breakfast 90 minutes before the start, another Hydration 1500 bottle at 45 minutes, and a 30-gram carbohydrate caffeine gel at 15 minutes.
During the first two to three hours, the rider consumes 90 grams of carbohydrates hourly using team car bidons containing 60 grams of carbohydrates and 500 milligrams of sodium, alongside energy bars, gels, and SweatSalt capsules. Over the final two hours, decreased stomach blood flow requires a transition strictly to fluids and hydrogels, targeting 90 to 120 grams of carbohydrates hourly. The protocol includes a 90-gram carbohydrate hydrogel near Chalet Reynard and a final caffeine gel to stimulate the nervous system and reduce pain.
Following the finish line, riders enter the glycogen window, consuming a whey protein and carbohydrate recovery shake and drinking at least one liter of fluid with 1,500 milligrams of sodium before physiotherapy begins. Polish cyclist Maja Włoszczowska previously demonstrated the severity of post-race exhaustion at the Rio Olympics, where she stood shaking from dehydration until she drank several gulps of Coca-Cola provided by onlookers.
