The Dutch icon was the strongest finisher as the stage reached an uphill climax in Provins and emerged victorious from a breakaway group of six.

Jumbo-Visma's Vos held off Italy's Silvia Persico - in Valcar-Travel & Service colours - to cross the line in 3 hours 14min 2sec following 136.4 kilometres of largely flat riding.

Persico was given the same time and so too Pole Kasia Niewiadoma of Canyon-SRAM, who finished third.

Elisa Longo Borghini, another Italian riding for Trek-Segafredo, was fourth, two seconds down, but gained time on many rivals in the general classification.

The top four from today's stage are now the top four in the general classification, in that order.

Vos leads Persico by 10 seconds thanks to getting a time bonus on back-to-back days.

Widely considered one of the greatest cyclists of all time, Vos is a three-time winner of the Giro Donne and a world champion in cyclo-cross, in the road race and on the track.

Twice an Olympic gold medallist, this year's first-ever Tour de France Femmes offers Vos a chance to add to her dazzling résumé. 

A hilly 133.6km route from Reims to Épernay is in store tomorrow.