Tour de France Femmes: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, although somewhat lacking in sprint speed, advances in the General Classification on rugged terrain in Guéret
The 2025 Tour de France Femmes is proving to be an exciting race, and after Stage 5, the competition is heating up. Kim Le Court-Pienaar has taken the lead, securing both the stage win and the coveted yellow jersey.
Le Court-Pienaar, a formidable competitor, claimed victory on Stage 5 from Chasseneuil-du-Poitou Futuroscope to Guéret. Her success was largely due to bonus seconds gained during the stage, which have been crucial in her ascent to the top of the general classification[1][2][4].
Marianne Vos, who had been leading the race until this point, was dropped on the final climb. This allowed Le Court to pull ahead, securing a significant margin of several seconds over her rivals[2][4].
Vos, a teammate of Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, had an exceptional start to the Tour de France Femmes. She won the opening stage, finished second on two stages, and wore the yellow jersey for four stages. However, she did not wear the yellow jersey on Stage 5[3].
Ferrand-Prevot, another favourite for the title, finished in fifth place on Stage 5. She was happy to have made it into the selection of seven riders that formed on the Maupuy climb. Ferrand-Prevot is now second overall in the race, 18 seconds behind Le Court[1][2][4].
In a post-race interview, Ferrand-Prevot spoke with Eurosport, expressing her dissatisfaction with the roads on Stage 5, finding them "too punchy" for her style. Despite this, she was pleased to have finished in the first group[1][2][4].
Vos, on the other hand, was not far from passing Ferrand-Prevot on Stage 5. However, she was not able to follow the pace of the seven-rider selection in the final[2][4].
In a post-race interview, Vos stated that it was a great day for the team as Ferrand-Prevot was up front. She was pleased to see Ferrand-Prevot stay with the leaders and move up in the overall classification[1][2][4].
Visma-Lease a Bike came into the Tour de France Femmes to support Pauline Ferrand-Prevot for the title. With Ferrand-Prevot's strong performance so far, it seems they are on the right track[5].
The Tour de France Femmes is a nine-day race, and with several stages still to come, the competition is sure to remain intense. As it stands, Kim Le Court-Pienaar is currently leading the general classification, with Ferrand-Prevot close behind[1][2][4].
[1] Tour de France Femmes - Stage 5 Results
[2] Cycling News - Le Court wins Stage 5 of Tour de France Femmes
[3] Cycling Weekly - Marianne Vos drops to second overall in Tour de France Femmes
[4] VeloNews - Kim Le Court-Pienaar wins Stage 5 of Tour de France Femmes and takes the overall lead
[5] CyclingTips - Visma-Lease a Bike support Pauline Ferrand-Prevot in Tour de France Femmes
Sports continue to captivate viewers with the intense competition on the Tour de France Femmes. The current leader, Kim Le Court-Pienaar, has proven her prowess in cycling, securing both the stage win and the iconic yellow jersey after Stage 5.
