Tour de France Femmes 2026: Vollering outsprints Reusser and Niewiadoma

fotobureau Cor VosIn an enthralling stage, Demi Vollering takes the reins on the steep slopes of Mont Brouilly. She throws everything at it, but is unable to shake off Kasia Niewiadoma and yellow jersey Marlen Reusser. Niewiadoma opens a gap in the finishing straight, but Vollering reels her back in and sprints to victory, while Reusser retains the yellow jersey. (Slideshow route/profile)

Stage 5 Results – 2026 Tour de France Femmes

1. Demi Vollering (nld) 3:53:54
2. Marlen Reusser (swi) s.t.
3. Kasia Niewiadoma (pol) s.t.
4. Dominika Włodarczyk (pol) + 0:45
5. Isabella Holmgren (can) s.t.
6. Antonia Niedermaier (ger) s.t.
7. Nienke Vinke (nld) + 1:12
8. Femke de Vries (nld) s.t.
9. Thalita de Jong (nld) s.t.
10. Niamh Fisher-Black (nzl) + 1:15

15. Paula Blasi (spa) + 2:27
17. Cédrine Kerbaol (fra) + 2:35
18. Anna van der Breggen (nld) s.t.
19. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (fra) s.t.
43. Sigrid Haugset (nor) + 8:02

GC after stage 5

1. Marlen Reusser (swi)
2. Demi Vollering (nld) + 0:12
3. Kasia Niewiadoma (pol) + 1:17
4. Antonia Niedermaier (ger) + 2:40
5. Dominika Włodarczyk (pol) + 2:54
6. Elisa Longo Borghini (ita) + 2:58
7. Isabella Holmgren (can) + 3:05
8. Femke De Vries (nld) + 3:11
9. Cédrine Kerbaol (fra) + 3:41
10. Paula Blasi (spa) + 3:51

Race report
The peloton remains intact on the opening climb, where Puck Pieterse consolidates her lead in the mountains classification by taking the KOM sprint. Shortly afterwards, Niamh Fisher-Black attacks, but her advantage remains limited and her attempt comes to an end on the Col de la Croix de l'Orme. Pieterse once again crests the climb first, repeating the feat on the Côte de Saint-Christophe.

By then, the peloton is still intact, albeit much reduced in size. Lorena Wiebes is still there and takes second place in the intermediate sprint in Monsols, with Carlotta Cipressi having attacked after the Côte de Saint-Christophe. Her move is brought back shortly afterwards.

After adding more points to her tally on the Col de Fontmartin, Pieterse joins the breakaway that gets away on the descent. The front group also includes Femke de Vries, Noemi Rüegg, Sarah Van Dam, Juliette Berthet, Franziska Koch, Antonia Niedermaier, Dominika Włodarczyk, Célia Le Mouël, Maeva Squiban, Nienke Vinke, Liane Lippert, Niamh Fisher-Black, Riejanne Markus, Amanda Spratt, Lore De Schepper, Justine Ghekiere, Magdeleine Vallieres and Thalita de Jong.

Pieterse cashes in once again on the Col de Gerbet and the Côte de Pruzilly. The peloton crests the latter climb 1 minute and 40 seconds behind the breakaway.

On the Col de Durbize, the breakaway's lead has been cut to 1 minute when Włodarczyk accelerates at the front. Only Lippert, Niedermaier, De Vries, Fisher-Black and Vallieres are able to follow. In the group of favourites, Demi Vollering's teammates raise the pace, which proves too much for Anna van der Breggen and Cédrine Kerbaol.

As soon as the Dutch rider accelerates, defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is immediately dropped. Isabella Holmgren, Marlen Reusser and Kasia Niewiadoma manage to hold on.

Vinke, De Jong, Pieterse and Berthet rejoin the lead group on the descent, after which the Reusser–Vollering group makes its presence felt at the front inside the final 23 kilometres.

At the foot of Mont Brouilly, Reusser gets the better of Vollering in the sprint for bonus seconds. The yellow jersey collects 6 seconds, with her nearest rival in the GC taking 4.

With 1.7 kilometres left to climb on Mont Brouilly, Vollering turns up the heat. She keeps pushing the pace and, by the summit, only Niewiadoma and Reusser are still with her.

The trio stays together and, in Belleville-en-Beaujolais, Niewiadoma tries to avoid a sprint by launching an attack as the riders turn onto the finishing straight. Vollering and Reusser hesitate for a moment, watching each other, but the Dutch rider eventually makes her move.

By then, the gap has already grown considerably and, for a moment, it looks as though Niewiadoma will make it. However, Vollering draws level in the final 25 metres, with Reusser on her wheel. The Swiss lacks the power to come around, allowing Vollering to claim the fourth Tour stage victory of her career.

Reusser retains the overall lead, holding a 12-second advantage over Vollering, while Niewiadoma remains more than a minute behind.

Another interesting read: route 5th stage 202 Tour de France Femmes.