CyclistPro Log: Charlotte Kool on fire as Demi Vollering leads Tour de France Femmes, Laurence Pithie signs for Red Bull-BORA-Hansgrohe, Taco van der Hoorn returns after 16-month absenceWelcome back to another edition of Pro Log. Charlotte Kool (DSM-firmenich PostNL) has been lighting up the Tour de France Femmes, which has hosted two flat stages and an individual time-trial in just two days. After winning the Stage 3 individual time-trial, Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) now leads teammate and Dutch countrywoman Lorena Wiebes by 3 seconds. The mens Tour de Pologne is also ongoing. Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates) won the time-trial on Stage 2, while Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) leads overall.Charlotte Kool dominating at the Tour de France FemmesA.S.O./Charly LopezChalotte Kool (DSM-firmenich PostNL) won the opening two stages at the Tour de France Femmes in front of home crowds as the Grand Dpart took place in the Netherlands. The 25-year-old pulled on the maillot jaune after her Stage 1 victory in The Hague, with fellow sprinter and favourite Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) nowhere to be seen following a mechanical.It was copy and paste for Kool the next morning despite a challenge from Wiebes, and she stepped up to the podium once more as stage victor. It was an atypical day however, with the Tour de France Femmes adopting a retro split stage format. The stage race was in the morning and an individual time-trial scheduled for the afternoon. Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) won the 6.3km time-trial and cried after the finish, saying, I really didnt see this coming. I had no idea that I could do this today. Related Posts Who are the favourites for the Tour de France Femmes 2024? How to watch the Tour de France Femmes 2024 Tour de France Femmes 2024: Route, start list, how to watch and all you need to know Did the split stage work?A.S.O./Thomas MaheuxSplit stages used to be commonplace in cycling, particularly in the mens Tour de France. They were introduced in the 1934 Tour with Stage 21 split into an 81km race followed by a 90km individual time-trial that served as a day for Frenchman Antonin Magne to increase his lead to almost half an hour.The concept was eventually phased out with the last split stage seen at the 1991 Tour de France. It may have been an uncommon sight at the highest level of cycling since, but the Tour of Britain used a split stage in Bristol back in 2016. Given the two combined Tour de France Femmes stages used today are remarkably shorter than split stage predecessors, the day has appeared to go off without a hitch.Having roughly the same start/finish locations cuts down on any transfer time but in turn, increases the days workload for so many, from riders and team staff. Laurence Pithie signs for Red Bull-Bora-HansgroheRed Bull-Bora-HansgroheGroupama-FDJs Laurence Pithie will move to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe for the 2025 season. 22-year-old Pithie, who hails from New Zealand, was a breakout rider this season after winning the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in January. He had a strong Spring Classics campaign including a sixth place at Paris-Roubaix despite crashing.Taco van der Hoorn returns to racingTACO IS BACK After 16 months of recovery from concussion, Taco van der Hoorn is ready to race again in Tour of Leuven on 15 August. Show him some love pic.twitter.com/wJioVF48E6 Intermarch-Wanty (@IntermarcheW) August 13, 2024 Intermarch-Wantys Taco van der Hoorn will make his return to the peloton at the Tour of Leuven on 15th August. It marks the end of a lengthy 16-month recovery period due to a severe concussion sustained after a crash at the 2023 Tour of Flanders. Van der Hoorn, who won a memorable stage victory at the Giro dItalia in 2021, was able to join the team on a training camp this January but trained solo with sports directors. The Tour of Leuven is a one-day race in Belgium that will be 192.7km. Previous winners include Belgiums Arnaud De Lie, Victor Campenaerts and Jasper Stuyven.See you next week.The post Pro Log: Charlotte Kool on fire as Demi Vollering leads Tour de France Femmes, Laurence Pithie signs for Red Bull-BORA-Hansgrohe, Taco van der Hoorn returns after 16-month absence appeared first on Cyclist.