Le Court wins Tour de France Femmes stage; Reusser retains overall lead

Mauritian cyclist Kimberley Le Court achieved a remarkable victory on stage six of the Tour de France Femmes, overcoming a late mechanical issue to win in a reduced sprint. The win marks a significant achievement for Le Court, who had to change bikes on the final climb but managed to rejoin the peloton. "They brought me back slowly but surely to the bunch, and I got back on top of the last climb, which was a really big effort," Le Court stated after the stage. "Then I just tried to stay patient, try to recover from this big effort. Riejanne Markus and I bridged to the breakaway, and we got to the front."

Swiss rider Marlen Reusser successfully defended her overall lead, holding a 12-second advantage over Dutch competitor Demi Vollering with only three stages left in the race. The 153.4-kilometer stage from Montbrison to Tournon-sur-Rhone saw intense racing, with a breakaway group initially building a significant lead before being caught. World champion Magdeleine Vallieres set a strong pace on the penultimate climb, splitting the main group and forming a smaller bunch of about 30 riders vying for the stage win.

Le Court, part of a six-rider group that later expanded, launched her sprint with 300 meters to go. She narrowly beat France's Cedrine Kerbaol to the line, with the Netherlands' Puck Pieterse finishing third. This victory echoes Le Court's success from the previous year, where she also won a sprint finish against strong competitors. The race continues with Reusser aiming to maintain her lead through the remaining stages.

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They brought me back slowly but surely to the bunch, and I got back on top of the last climb, which was a really big effort. Then I just tried to stay patient, try to recover from this big effort. Riejanne Markus and I bridged to the breakaway, and we got to the front.