Tour de France Femmes - Stage 5: Lippert third in Vas victory, crash costs Vollering yellow

A crash shortly before the end of stage 5 has turned the overall classification of the Tour de France Femmes upside down. Like many other riders, the previous overall leader Demi Vollering (SD Worx - Protime) crashed on the exit from a roundabout at the six-kilometre mark. The Dutchwoman lost a lot of time and lost the yellow jersey to Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM Racing).

The Polish rider was one of around 20 riders in the peloton who were not affected by the crash. Together with Liane Lippert, Emma Norsgaard (both Movistar), Kristen Faulkner (EF-Oatly-Cannondale) and Blanka Vas (SD Worx-Protime), she went into the final kilometre with a slight lead over the first chasers. In the sprint, which Lippert opened a little too early and ultimately finished third, she came second behind Vas. With her victory, the young Hungarian made up for her disappointment at finishing 4th in the Olympic road race.

Vollering only ninth without helpers

"I don't know what to say, I can't believe it. I really didn't expect it because I actually felt bad in the race," the 22-year-old stammered into the microphone during the winner's interview. "My radio wasn't working, so I don't know what happened at the back. But Demi lost the yellow. That's a real shame, which is why I have mixed feelings."

Without a helper, Vollering crossed the finish line all alone in 50th place, 1:47 minutes behind the day's winner - with torn trousers and obvious pain. The gap meant that last year's winner slipped to ninth place in the overall standings, where she is now 1:19 minutes behind Niewiadoma. Faulkner is the new runner-up, 19 seconds behind. A further three seconds behind is Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck), who also crashed but was able to get back on her bike quickly despite wounds to her chin and knees.

Pieterse was thus able to defend his lead in the mountains and junior classification. Charlotte Kool (dsm-firmenich PostNL) is still in the green jersey, having been caught early on in the day and finishing almost 17 minutes behind.

Tour de France Femmes 2024 - Results: the top 10 of stage 5

1. Blanka Vas (Team SD Worx - Protime) 3:46:51
2. Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM Racing) +0:00
3. Liane Lippert (Movistar) +0:00
4. Kristen Faulkner (EF-Oatly-Cannondale) +0:00
5. Emma Norsgaard (Movistar) +0:08
6. Lucinda Brand (Lidl-Trek) +0:11
7. Cedrine Kerbaol (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team) +0:11
8. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx - Protime) +0:28
9. Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike) +0:28
10. Evita Muzic (FDJ-Suez) +0:28

The overall standings

1. Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM Racing) 11:27:29
2. Kristen Faulkner (EF-Oatly-Cannondale) +0:19
3. Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) +0:22
4. Cedrine Kerbaol (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team) +0:47
5. Juliette Labous (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) +0:56
6. Thalita de Jong (Lotto-Dstny Ladies) +1:04
7. Shirin van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek) +1:07
8. Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck) +1:08
9. Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx -Protime) +1:19
10. Liane Lippert (Movistar) +1:20

>> All stages of the Tour de France Femmes at a glance

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How the 5th stage of the Tour de France Femmes 2024 went

Right from the start, the 152-kilometre stage 5, which started in Bastogne and crossed the French border for the first time on the way to the finish in Amneville, was an offensive race. There was a lot of movement in the peloton as early as the first mountain classification after 14 kilometres, but no rider was able to break away permanently.

This was only achieved by Loes Adegeest (FDJ-Suez), but by then a good half of the course had already been covered. The third of Tuesday's time trial was joined by Julie van de Velde (AG Insurance-Soudal) and Fem van Empel (Visma | Lease a Bike). As a trio, the group built up a lead of almost three minutes with 30 kilometres to go. However, the initiative of SD Worx - Protime and Movistar in particular saw the gap shrink to just a few seconds by the 10-kilometre mark.

Then the fatal crash occurred in the race, which had shrunk considerably due to the fast climbs beforehand. Around 20 riders made it through the roundabout unscathed. While Pieterse quickly got back on her feet and Vollering climbed back on her bike after a few seconds, Pfeiffer Georgi (dsm-firmenich PostNL) was hit the hardest. She was unable to finish the race.

Lippert lacks patience

However, the riders who made it through without crashing did not manage to do so in a group. At high speed, Adegeest was the last breakaway rider and then a group of seven riders formed. In addition to Vas, Niewiadoma, Lippert, Faulkner and Norsgaard, Cedrine Kerbaol (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team) and Lucinda Brand (Lidl-Trek) were also initially in the group, but they did not make it to the finishing straight with their rivals.

Lippert lost her patience too early and was the first to leave the saddle on the uphill finishing straight. Both Niewiadoma, who is not known for being a particularly strong jumper, and Vas overtook her. The Hungarian ultimately had the best finish. But Niewiadoma was able to console herself with yellow.

TOUR at the Tour de France Femmes