Vollering wins stage, sets up three-way Tour de France Femmes fight

Demi Vollering claimed her first stage win of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes, edging overall leader Marlen Reusser into second place. The Dutch rider secured victory in a sprint finish after a gruelling 140-km stage with eight categorised climbs.

Reusser, who won Tuesday's individual time trial, holds a 12-second lead over 2023 winner Vollering in the overall classification. Poland's Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney moved up to third overall, one minute 17 seconds behind the leader, after looking to have stolen a march with 300 metres remaining.

"I knew Kasia would go early, because she always does," Vollering said after Wednesday's win. "I knew Marlen would gamble, so I let her gamble a bit to try and make her work, but she didn't. I gave it everything until the final sprint, and I needed every single metre in the last finish straight."

Last year's winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot struggled on the final climbs and is now five minutes behind Reusser. Mountains classification leader Puck Pieterse took maximum points on the first six climbs but was reeled in. The race continues with stage six, a 153.4-km hilly ride from Montbrison to Tournon-sur-Rhône.

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I knew Kasia would go early, because she always does. I knew Marlen would gamble, so I let her gamble a bit to try and make her work, but she didn't. I gave it everything until the final sprint, and I needed every single metre in the last finish straight.