Not the same AVV?
Three-time World Champion and three-time Giro Donne winner Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) entered the race in great form after winning the Italian Grand Tour just two weeks ago, but has not looked as dominant as usual through the first three stages in France.
Revealing after today's finish that the 39-year-old battled a 'stomach infection' in yesterday's stage to Provins, Van Vleuten started today 18th overall, but still had the other contenders fearful of what she would do on the four climbs along the parcours.
But the short, punchy final climb of Mont Bernon which looked tailor-made for a big attack from Van Vleuten had quite the opposite outcome as she was dropped from the move by Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio.
The #1 ranked UCI rider in the world still has five stages left to make a comeback though, with two mountain stages still to come.
Ludwig emerges to fill Cavalli void
FDJ Suez Futuroscope lined up in Riems after a horrible day in Stage 2, losing general classification leader Marta Cavalli in an awful crash and Danish Champion Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig losing time in a crash of her own.
But today, Ludwig and her team including Australian Grace Brown turned that around in spectacular fashion with a stage win in Epernay and an improvement to 10th overall for the Dane, who emotionally thanked her teammates.
"It feels like such a good comeback after a really bad day yesterday, losing Marta (Cavalli), crashing and having to come back," a jubilant Ludwig said following the stage.
"But I just loved how the team kept the fighting spirit. We knew today was a super good day and if I had the legs then I could try and go for the win."
Jersey battles well and truly on
After the men's race saw a whitewash in the points classification, little competition in the King of the Mountains classification and a two-horse race for the yellow jersey, it's clear from the first three stages that the women are out to change that.
ParkHotel Valkenburg's Femke Gerritse made her intentions clear from the jump in stage 3, establishing an early break to take maximum points on the first climb of the day and the next two after that to pull on the polka dot jersey in Epernay.
And with the top 10 riders on GC all within 2 minutes of each other and a green jersey duel brewing between Marianne Vos, Lorena Wiebes and Lotte Kopecky, there are bound to be moments to look out for at every point of every stage until the finish.
Maillot jaune looking bound to go down to the wire
With so many big names in this race and the most famous jersey in all of cycling on the line, the next five stages will be an exciting display of tactics, grit and determination to try and be the inaugural holder.
Current jersey wearer Marianne Vos was under pressure multiple times today as contenders Kasia Niewiadoma, Elisa Longo Borghini, Demi Vollering and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio went all out in heavy winds and a punchy finale to try to make up time.
With all types of parcours suiting all types of riders still to come, we're yet to see the overall fight truly come to life.
Nerves on the biggest stage make crashes a constant risk
The peloton was plunged straight into exposed roads and crosswinds in Stage 2 which made for absolute carnage and today was another display of the immense nerves riders are carrying in the biggest event of their careers.
There were more crashes and near crashes as teams again jostled for position on the front at high speed with echelons and splits a constant threat.
Each and every rider wants to perform at their best, but today was another reminder of the inexperience many have of French courses and their competition in the bunch.
The Tour de France Femmes continues tomorrow night with a hilly 126.8 kilometre stage from Troyes to Bar-Sur-Aube. Watch the action from the early time of 10:15pm (AEST) on the SBS SKODA Tour Tracker before SBS and SBS On Demand coverage begins from 10:30pm (AEST).
