Team dsm-Filmenig chased the lone breakaway of the day, Julie van de Velde (Phoenix-Desseuninck), but was not rewarded as Lorena Wiebes (SD Works) won the sprint. Charlotte Coull had a frustrating Tour de France stage 3, finishing seventh.

"I'm really, really disappointed," Kuhl said after crossing the finish line in Montignac-Lascaux, which had marked for the sprinters before the eight-day race.

"I went with them early, but that was the plan. I was caught off guard at the back of the field at the corner and got stuck with no space.

The 147.2km stage started at Cologne-la-Rouge, where the sprinter teams prepared for a group sprint. However, uncertainty was added to their plans when Van de Velde gained up to 2:30 minutes in a 60km solo sprint.

SD Walks, with yellow jersey winner Lotte Kopecky and sprint contender Lorena Wiebes, seemed indifferent or unwilling to chase. In the end, Team dsm-Filmenig put the riders in front in the last 10 km, reducing the gap to 25 seconds.

Kuhl complained that SD Walks refused to help with the chase and only temporarily sent Marlen Reusser to the front in the last few kilometers.

"We are used to it. In fact, they never do and we want to win. The team believes we can sprint to the finish. I don't know. But we will take our own chances. We won't look at it just because the others aren't running," Kuhl said.

"It's the Tour and there aren't many sprint stages. But of course it's a little sad that there are always other riders running."

Kelvin Dekker, director of Team dsm-Filmenig, noted that the riders panicked in the last kilometer because Van de Velde still had a small gap. He said that once the gap was down to 25 seconds, they should have switched their attention solely to the lead-out.

"Timing-wise, we knew it was going to be tight, but in the end the players were a little worried.

Decker explained that the team had to rethink their leadout strategy after main rider Megan Justlove crashed in the opening stage, and they weren't sure how well she would be able to support Kool. Justlove helped with the leadout, but the team added Léa Culinier and Juliette Lavos in the final.

"With 1km to go I panicked. Juliette tried to bring Van de Velde back. I should have sprinted," Dekker said.

"That made Pfeiffer Giorgi too fast in the wind. Maybe he should have waited a little longer or come later, since Charlotte was running solo.

Decker also said she thought Kuhl made a crucial mistake when she lost position in the sprint and did not get directly on Wiebes' wheel.

"She made some good moves, but made one wrong decision and lost a wheel. She didn't have room to sprint.

Dekker spoke directly with Kool after the stage and said he was upset with the way the sprint unfolded, but reminded her that she had two more chances in the Tour de France femme.

"Yes, she is very disappointed. She is a winner. She came here to win. She had a good chance today, but she made a small mistake. In the Tour, you can't make small mistakes. If you make a mistake, you will not be rewarded with a victory," Dekker said.

"It's easier to accept than this when you're outpaced by horsepower and you lose sprinting next to each other.

Dekker cited Albi on stage 5 and Blagnac on stage 6 as the sprinters' next chances.

Asked what the team would do, Decker replied. We take responsibility. We want to win and we want to win with Charlotte in a sprint."