CNN
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The sporting excitement following the successful Summer Olympics continued after the closing ceremony on Sunday in Paris.

The week-long Tour de France Femmes began on Monday with the start of the annual eight-stage race in the Netherlands.

As with the men’s tour, the event had to adapt its usual French start to accommodate France’s resources and infrastructure dedicated to the just-concluded Summer Olympics.

This year’s edition will feature the world’s best female cyclists, many of whom have just competed in the women’s road race in Paris 2024.

At the start of Monday, on a sunny and bright day in Rotterdam, 153 riders lined up for the third annual edition.

Dutch rider Charlotte Kool of Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL sprinted to a first stage win on home soil, securing her first stage win at the Tour de France Femmes. It was a proud moment for the 25-year-old and for the co-host country, as it was the first stage win outside France at the event.

Kool stormed toward the finish line, crossing the field by more than a bike length with a time of 2 hours, 47 minutes and 40 seconds.

At the finish line, she covered her mouth in disbelief because she couldn’t believe what she had just accomplished. Kool then immediately raised her arms in triumph as the crowd in The Hague cheered.

After the victory, an emotional Kool got off her bike and sat directly on the road, her hands hidden in front of her face.

She called it a dream come true.

“This is the best day of my life,” she said.

The 2024 US Olympic road race champion Kristen Faulkner is also in the running.

In 2023, Dutchwoman Demi Vollering secured her first Tour de France Femmes title and is back to defend her yellow jersey.

The race continues on Tuesday with two stages.

Stage 2 is a 69.7 kilometer ride from Dordrecht to Rotterdam.

Let’s stay in Rotterdam and in the afternoon we’ll have stage 3, the individual time trial trail of the event.

The fourth stage will take place mostly in Belgium.

The race runs from Valkenburg to Liège, with the 5th stage crossing the border into France on Thursday.

The route leads south through eastern France and includes stages 5 (Bastogne to Amnéville), 6 (Remiremont to Morteau) and 7 (Champagnole to Le Grand-Bornand).

On Sunday, a champion will be crowned in the south-east of France in the famous French Alps. Sunday’s 8th stage finishes at the summit of Alpe d’Huez (Le Grand-Bornand to Alpe d’Huez).

The first edition of the race in 2022 was a rebirth of the event. The history of the Tour de France Femmes dates back to September 1955