Demi Vollering wins stage five of the Tour de France Femmes after a tense three-rider sprint at the end of a mountainous route that reshapes the overall standings. Multiple outlets report that the decisive move comes on the final steep climbs around Mont Brouilly, when Vollering, Marlen Reusser and Kasia Niewiadoma break clear of the peloton. In the closing run to the finish, Vollering outsprints Reusser to take the stage victory. Reusser remains in the yellow jersey and finishes closely enough to retain a slim lead in the general classification.
The reports agree that Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, the defending champion, loses significant time and her attempt to defend her crown unravels. The Independent and other coverage describe her dropping by several minutes, with Ferrand-Prévot reported to have “shipped” around five minutes in the stage five outcome. France 24 and BBC emphasise that despite Vollering’s stage win and pressure throughout the finale, Reusser holds on to the overall lead by seconds (reported as 12 seconds by France 24).
