While the group of classification riders lurked on the climb to the last mountain classification, Squiban launched an attack. There were still 32 kilometres to go to the finish line in Ambert, with two long climbs to tackle. Nobody followed when the Frenchwoman went on the offensive. Whether the 23-year-old was underestimated or the stage win was only of secondary importance in view of what was still to come in the next few days remained unclear.

However, Squiban proved that she is no longer an insider tip a year ago at the Tour when she finished second in the mountain finish in Le Grand-Bornand. Nevertheless, it is her first victory at this level. And the whole nation was also able to celebrate a French stage win for the first time this year. In general, it is only the second victory for France since the new edition of the Tour in 2022, after Cédrine Kerbaol, then still for Ceratizit, provided the première last year.

This time it was even enough for a French double success with Labous in second place. But the second Frenchwoman chased after her compatriot in vain. She was 1:09 minutes behind at the finish. Four seconds behind her, the favourites then sprinted for third place, with overall leader Le Court once again proving to be the strongest in this constellation. She extended her lead over Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) to 26 seconds - all bonus seconds that she secured for herself at intermediate sprints or at the finish.

Squiban saves tour for UAE ADQ

Behind them, Kasia Niewiadoma (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto) and Demi Vollering (FDJ - Suez) swapped places. They are 30 and 31 seconds behind the winner respectively. Here, too, it was the bonuses that made the difference. Apart from that, none of the contenders for overall victory lost any time today.

Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx - Protime) continues to lead the points classification, but was unable to collect any more points. Meanwhile, Elise Chabbey (FDJ - Suez) has significantly extended her lead in the battle for the mountains jersey. As a breakaway rider, she collected plenty of points and now stands at 29 points.

The day's winner Squiban is unlikely to be able to intervene in the battle for yellow or any other jersey. But for her, the Tour is already a success. "It's unbelievable. I don't even know what to say. The team car told me at the end that I was 1:20 minutes ahead. I couldn't believe it," said the Breton rider, completely surprised by her own strength. As leader Elisa Longo Borghini had to leave the race early, she and her remaining team-mates can now ride on their own account. "There are only four of us left, but we knew that we could do something big today. It's a special day for us."

Tour de France Femmes 2025 - Results of the 6th stage

>> Tour de France Femmes 2025: Route and stages of the women's Tour de France

>> Tour de France Femmes 2025: All the teams' line-ups

>> The TOUR Tech briefing on stage 6 of the Tour de France Femmes 2025

>> Lichtenberg's preview of stage 6: The first mountain stage

>> Le Court takes the stage win and yellow on stage 5

How the 6th stage of the Tour de France Femmes 2025 went

On the sixth day of the Tour de France Femmes, the wave of riders no longer competing continued. This time Valentina Cavallar (Arkéa - B&B Hotels Women) and Mie Bjørndal Ottestad (Uno-X Mobility) had to abandon the race. And even after that it was the same old story. Attack after attack was made. But it took a very long time for a group to really break away.

Wiebes was also one of the early attackers and had already announced her plan the day before. Her goal was the intermediate sprint after 30 kilometres. However, she failed in her attempt. She came away empty-handed at the finish line - but so did her big rival for green, Marianne Vos (Team Visma | Lease a Bike).

Lippert in the group of the day

Just before the sprint, the Swiss rider Linda Zanetti (Uno-X Mobility) broke away. The first to follow her was her compatriot in the mountain jersey, Chabbey. The duo was then followed by a large chasing group of 16 women. Liane Lippert (Movistar Team), Mischa Bredewold (Team SD Worx - Protime), Silke Smulders (Liv AlUla Jayco), Pfeiffer Georgi (Team Picnic PostNL) and Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) were also part of it. They caught up with the leading duo before the sprint.

A short time later, Chabbey, who had already won the sprint, also secured the first mountain classification of the day. In the second (both 3rd category) she had to give way to Brodie Chapman (UAE Team ADQ). By then, the group had thinned out a little, with twelve women tackling the ten-kilometre climb to the Col du Béal (1st category). However, the lead remained small and was mostly only one minute ahead.

At the top - 44 kilometres from the finish - Smulders and Chabbey sprinted for the points, with the Swiss rider coming out on top. However, she only had a 20-second lead on the peloton. On the descent from the Béal and on the counter-climb to the Col du Chansert (2nd category), the group was then gradually dropped. A breakneck descent by Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) and Niewiadoma also played a part in this, as they broke away from the peloton and put the other classement riders under pressure.

Squiban launches a decisive attack

It was Squiban who then left the field on the way to the last crest of the day. She pulled out a one-minute lead at the top. But instead of the group of favourites reducing the gap, Squiban had actually extended her lead to 1:30 minutes with twelve kilometres to go.

Labous tried to close the gap again in the final kilometres, but there was nothing she could do. Squiban rode home the victory safely, although she celebrated extensively, she still had more than 60 seconds ahead of Labous at the finish, who was able to maintain her mini lead over the group of favourites. In the group sprint, Le Court was once again ahead.