Battle for Yellow Heats Up in Stage 6 of Tour de France Femmes 2025 on the Tough Terrain of Massif Central Mountains
Tour de France Femmes Stage 6 Preview: A Tactical Battle in the Massif Central
The Tour de France Femmes is set to hit the mountains as Stage 6 commences on Thursday, 124 km from Clermont-Ferrand to Ambert through the volcanic and rugged terrain of the Massif Central.
The route features multiple categorized climbs, with the Massif Central, a mountainous area in central France with volcanic origins, providing a challenging backdrop for the riders.
Key details about the climbs and sprints on Stage 6: - The stage includes four classified climbs, including the little-visited Col du Beal, a climb last seen five years ago in the men's Tour [1]. Côte de Courpière (1.7km at 6.8%), cat. 3, 37km, and Col du Chansert (6.3km at 5.5%), cat. 2, 94.7km, are other climbs in the stage. - The women's peloton will crest the Col du Beal with 44.5km to go on Thursday afternoon [1]. Another sprint offering six, four and two seconds comes at the top of the 5.3% hill in Valcivières. - The stage is tactical and selective, favouring climbers and riders who excel on rugged, volcanic ascents [1][3]. Elice Chabé (FDJ Suez) notably scored 18 mountain points to consolidate her lead in the mountain classification (polka-dot jersey) [2]. - No sprint points were gained from the stage by the main green jersey contenders; the points competition for sprints remained unchanged after this stage, indicating limited or strategic sprint opportunities [2].
Several riders have shown their climbing prowess so far in the race. Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck), Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly), and Niam Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek) are still in the GC fight. Kim Le Court-Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal), Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime), and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease A Bike) have shown they can climb smaller hills [1]. However, riders like Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal) and Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck) may struggle with tricky descents.
Stage 6 could be even tougher due to several hectic and fast-paced days of racing, potentially adding to the riders' tiredness. Seven potential contenders announced themselves on Wednesday for Stage 6, including Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-Sram Zondacypto) [1].
The stage is set to be run under mostly sunny skies with some clouds, temperatures in the low-to-mid 20s. The stage concludes in Ambert, a town with no major connection to professional cycling [1].
[1] Tour de France Femmes - Stage 6 Preview, Cyclingnews
[2] Tour de France Femmes - Stage 5 Recap, Cyclingnews
[3] Tour de France Femmes - Stage 6 Analysis, CyclingTips
The Tour de France Femmes stage 6 promises a challenging and tactical battle for the riders, featuring multiple categorized climbs in the Massif Central, a mountainous region known for its rugged volcanic terrain. Climbers and riders excelling on such ascents, such as Elice Chabé, will have an edge in this selective stage.
Several riders have demonstrated their climbing abilities in the race so far, including Puck Pieterse, Cédrine Kerbaol, and Niam Fisher-Black, who are still in the GC fight. However, some riders, like Sarah Gigante and Pauliena Rooijakkers, may struggle with tricky descents due to the hectic and fast-paced racing over several days, potentially adding to the riders' tiredness.
