An action-packed stage through low mountain terrain, covering 140 kilometres and featuring eight mountain climbs, finishing in Belleville-en-Beaujolais, has shaken up the general classification more than might have been expected. With the trio of Vollering, Reusser and Niewiadoma, the strongest women in the tour appear to have emerged, whilst others who were highly rated ahead of the Tour have suffered significant time losses. Ferrand-Prévot, like Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx – Protime), once again lost two and a half minutes, proving unable to keep up with the best whenever the route went uphill.

Meanwhile, Niedermaier put in a strong performance. She was in the day’s leading group for a long time and only had to let the leading trio pull away in the final metres of the closing climb. She crossed the line at the same time as Dominika Włodarczyk (UAE Team L’IMAD), 45 seconds behind Vollering, and thus jumped to fourth place in the general classification; she is now 2 minutes and 40 seconds behind Reusser. In third place is her team captain Niewiadoma, 1 minute 17 seconds behind the yellow jersey. Vollering, in second place, is just twelve seconds behind.

​​“I knew Kasia would set off early. She always does that. And I knew Marlen would take a gamble,” said the day’s winner, Vollering, referring to the final sprint. “I played along with her to force her to work. But she didn’t. Then I thought to myself, if I don’t do anything, Kasia will win. That’s why I just gave it a go. I gave it my all. It was a really long sprint. But I needed every single metre of that home straight.”

Pieterse sweeps up almost all the mountain points

Whilst Vollering was delighted with her stage win – her fourth at the Tour de France Femmes – Reusser took a broader view and prioritised defending the yellow jersey. “On paper, this stage might not have suited me best. So I’m really pleased with how it went. I’m not too happy with my finish, but we’re all in the same time. My form isn’t too bad. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next.”

As well as van der Breggen and Ferrand-Prévot, Elisa Longo Borghini and Paula Blasi (both UAE Team L’IMAD) also lost a considerable amount of time. As a result, Blasi had to relinquish the lead in the young riders’ classification to Niedermaier and also let Isabella Holmgren (Lidl - Trek) overtake her. The 20-year-old Canadian crossed the line at the same time as Niedermaier and is now just 25 seconds behind the Bavarian in the overall standings.

Meanwhile, the situation is clearer in the other special classifications. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx – Protime) extended her lead in the battle for the green jersey by scoring 20 points at the intermediate sprint. Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech), meanwhile, collected almost all of the day’s mountain points and has also built up a comfortable lead in that classification.

2026 Tour de France Femmes – Results of Stage 5

Here’s how the 5th stage of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes unfolded

With no attacks, the women’s peloton tackled the Côte de Cerves (2nd category) straight after the start. Upon reaching the summit, Pieterse secured five mountain points. It was only then that the race really got underway. There were sporadic attacks, notably from Lidl - Trek via Niamh Fisher-Black or Amanda Spratt, as well as from Carlotta Cipressi (Human Powered Health) and the Tour’s former queen of the mountains, Justine Ghekire (AG Insurance – Soudal Team), all came to nothing.

Pieterse also took the next three mountain classifications; with 80 kilometres to go, the peloton was still together. On the descent from the Col de Fontmartin (3rd category), a 20-strong group then broke away. Alongside Pieterse, the group included three German riders: Niedermaier, Liane Lippert (Movistar Team) and Franziska Koch (FDJ United – SUEZ). They were joined by Noemi Rüegg and world champion Magdeleine Vallieres (both EF Education-Oatly) and Maeva Squiban (UAE Team L’IMAD).

Over the Col de Gerbet (2nd category), which Pieterse was once again the first to cross, the gap increased to 1 minute 45 seconds. Over the subsequent 30-kilometre stretch of flatter terrain, the gap remained largely constant. It was only on the climb to the Col de Durbize (3rd category), 33 kilometres from the finish, that the peloton began to close the gap again.

Van der Breggen and Ferrand-Prévot were dropped early on

With double-digit gradients in the second half of this climb, both the peloton and the breakaway group began to fall apart. Van der Breggen was unable to keep up, and Ferrand-Prévot also had to drop back following an attack by Vollering. Meanwhile, the leading group had shrunk to six riders. Whilst Koch and Lippert dropped back to support their team captains, Niedermaier remained at the front. However, with 22 kilometres to go, the group led by Reusser and Vollering moved to the front.

Whilst the group led by Ferrand-Prévot and van der Breggen was more than a minute behind at that point, Blasi and Longo Borghini, along with Kim Le Court (AG Insurance – Soudal Team), were also more than half a minute behind.

Niewiadoma is hoping to spring a surprise, but is still being held back

At the bonus sprint 14 kilometres from the finish, Reusser gained a two-second lead over Vollering, before the riders tackled the day’s final climb. On Mont Brouilly (2nd category), Vollering set the pace and whittled the group down to eight. 500 metres from the summit, the European champion stepped up the pace once more. Only Niewiadoma was able to keep up without any trouble; Reusser had to fight hard but managed to stay with the group. Niedermaier and the Lidl duo of Fisher-Black and Isabella Holmgren lost a few seconds.

Just as on the climb, the leading trio gave no quarter to one another on the narrow, fast descent. Nor did they in the final sprint. Whilst Reusser and Vollering sized each other up as they entered the home straight, Niewiadoma launched into a long sprint. The Polish rider, who is no match for the other two in a normal sprint, opened up a gap but was eventually overtaken by both of them again just before the finish.