'I just gave it my everything until the line' – Demi Vollering storms to victory on stage 5 of Tour de France Femmes stage 5 as GC battle erupts
Yellow jersey Marlen Reusser second as Kasia Niewiadoma comes in third
On Wednesday, Demi Vollering emerged victorious in stage 5 of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, finishing ahead of yellow jersey Marlen Reusser and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney in Belleville-en-Beaujolais. The FDJ United-Suez rider, who put in a strong effort, claimed the win from an elite trio who now have a chance to vie for the overall race victory.
Marlen Reusser currently leads the general classification but the gap between her and Vollering has narrowed to 12 seconds, with four stages remaining in the race. The trio escaped from the rest of the favorites during the final two climbs, the Col de Durbize and Mont Bruilly, with Mont Bruilly proving crucial for the stage win and the potential outcome of the whole race.
Earlier in the stage, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot lost significant time, potentially ending her defense of the yellow jersey. She was separated from the top three along with Anna van der Breggen during the Côte de Durbize. Vollering expressed her victory, acknowledging the team effort and her own personal determination. She described the sprint as a long one, needing every meter on the finish straight, and now looks forward to the challenge ahead, particularly in Marlen Reusser's pursuit of the overall victory.
Written by urgent.news from Cycling Weekly's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
