Stage 5 of the Tour de France Femmes showcased a mountainous battle, previewing the intense competition we can expect in the upcoming high mountain stages.
The 2022 Tour de France Femmes has seen some thrilling action, with the peloton battling through the hills of Brittany and the flatlands of the Loire and Vienne. Among the top contenders for the General Classification (GC) is Demi Vollering (FDJ-SUEZ), who finished second overall and was a strong favourite for the yellow jersey.
Vollering, who previously finished second behind Annemiek van Vleuten in 2022, was considered dominant in the women’s peloton leading into the race. Another GC favourite, Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM), finished third overall in 2025, and has been a consistent contender in previous editions.
However, it was Van Vleuten who ultimately won the 2022 edition, with Vollering as her closest rival. This made Vollering the top contender behind Van Vleuten that year.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, France's great hope at this Tour, hasn't failed any of the tests the race has posed to date. Her performance so far "hopefully bodes well for what's to come". Pauliena Rooijakkers' performance also gives cause for optimism, with her position "hopefully boding well for what's to come".
The race has seen its fair share of drama. Demi Vollering had a scare and was caught in a crash late on stage 3, but she's up there on the final hill of stage 5. Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney, the reigning champion, lies fourth overall, 24 seconds down on Le Court-Pienaar. Rooijakkers, Fenix-Deceuninck's rider, lies 45 seconds off the lead and is a real threat to repeat her result.
Kim Le Court-Pienaar is the first African Tour de France Femmes leader. Anna van der Breggen, SD Worx-Protime's GC hope, is 27 seconds off the lead. The grouping also includes Juliette Labous, Elise Chabbey, and Evita Muzic from Vollering's support squad.
The fifth stage of the Tour de France Femmes included 2,070 metres of elevation gain. Sarah Gigante played a vital role in helping Le Court-Pienaar reclaim yellow and win the stage. Breton racer Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) is among the grouping, finishing with Pieterse in the chase group.
As the Tour de France Femmes increases in difficulty from stage 5 onwards, it remains to be seen if a bad day or a sign of things to come as the GC race further stratifies. With the foothills of the Massif Central yet to be ventured into, the race is far from over.
Road cycling is a challenging sports event that showcases elite athletes' endurance and agility, as demonstrated in the Tour de France Femmes. Katarzyna Niewiadoma and Demi Vollering are notable contenders in this sports event, consistently pushing their limits and battling for top positions.
