Key events<\/p>\n
78km to go: It\u2019s not so hot today, but still hot enough: officially 27.5C, but hotter than that on the road.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n 79km to go: At the sprint point, Aalerud took 25pts, Adegeest 20, Noskova 17. Then, in the bunch behind, Noemi R\u00fcegg took fourth place (15pts) and the green-jersey incumbent, Lorena Wiebes, was fifth for 13pts.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.54 EDT<\/p>\n 80km to go: It\u2019s a gap of 1min 27sec now.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cToday will be really interesting again,\u201d said Femke de Vries (Visma-Lease A Bike) earlier, interviewed by TNT Sports. \u201cIt could be a day for the break. I\u2019m not sure if they\u2019ll let me go.<\/p>\n \u201cPauline and I now share the leadership, we\u2019ll both go for the GC.<\/p>\n \u201cToday the climbs are not as steep, but still technical descents, and it\u2019s an opportunity to try something.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe think we can do something nice on the Ventoux [tomorrow] \u2026 Maybe people will be a bit calm today because of what\u2019s coming tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n Femke de Vries during the stage three time trial. Photograph: Tim de Waele\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.51 EDT<\/p>\n 83km to go: Noskova is harvesting some handy QOM points. She takes two more on the C\u00f4te de Praneuf. Adegeest takes a point.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 84km to go: I just accidentally typed \u201cMarlene\u201d instead of \u201cMarlen\u201d Reusser, and decided we needed an Only Fools and Horses pic to keep us going, before the proper live coverage begins.<\/p>\n Only Fools and Horses: Sue Holderness as Marlene and John Challis as Boycie. Photograph: BBCShare<\/a><\/p>\n 85km to go: The gap between break and peloton has fallen to 2min. The bunch is about to crest the C\u00f4te de Praneuf.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt would be nice to win the stage,\u201d Pieterse told TNT Sports earlier. \u201cI hope to score some points along the way.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery day is another opportunity now we\u2019re in the hills.\u201d<\/p>\n Have you reconned the stage? \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Stephen Delcourt, the FDJ United-Suez DS, had a chat with TNT Sports earlier about yesterday\u2019s win for Demi Vollering:<\/p>\n \u201cAlways special to win a stage \u2026 the last one was in 2022, so it was too long \u2026 I\u2019m really happy about how we did it as a team.<\/p>\n \u201cYesterday the goal was to race as a Classic. It was the same as Li\u00e8ge-Bastogne-Li\u00e8ge<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we take a plan to the riders, they always say: it\u2019s not Playstation cycling. [I think he is referring to the fact that their plan worked perfectly yesterday, so it kind of was Playstation cycling in that case.]<\/p>\n \u201cToday\u2019s another day. We don\u2019t have yellow, the pressure is on the shoulders of Movistar.<\/p>\n \u201cDemi is really relaxed. She wants to be aggressive. It\u2019s her style, her DNA. Today can be another opportunity. But we have no big pressure. We will see during the race what we can do.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had a celebration, but it was only one glass, because we want to celebrate on Sunday night.\u201d<\/p>\n Demi Vollering. Photograph: Tim de Waele\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.40 EDT<\/p>\n 94km to go: It\u2019s 2min 20sec for the break now. We\u2019ve got three more categorised climbs to go, and the bonification point comes after that, with 9.2km remaining.<\/p>\n The climbs to come are as follows:<\/p>\n C\u00f4te de Praneuf (Cat 4, 1.2km, 6.5%, 85.5km remaining) France, beautiful France. Photograph: Alex Broadway\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.31 EDT<\/p>\n 99km to go: It\u2019s now 2min for the break. Initially, it seemed the teams behind were keeping this on a tight leash. But it seems they are content to let them go.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 102km to go: Noskova took 3 QOM points atop the C\u00f4te d\u2019Aurec. Adegeest two, Aalerud one.<\/p>\n Noskova is second to Pieterse in the QOM standings: I think Pieterse is still a very healthy 23pts ahead, having won the earlier climb.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.14 EDT<\/p>\n 104km to go: Aalerud is the closest on GC among the three breakaway riders. She\u2019s 8min 38sec down and perhaps a bit too close to be let off the leash. In contrast Adegeest (+35min 06) and Noskova (+36min 07sec) are well out of it.<\/p>\n Mont Ventoux tomorrow is sure to be a massive battle in the GC. Reusser and her rivals probably wouldn\u2019t mind letting this break go and chilling out, relatively speaking, for the day \u2026 the gap has now grown to 1min.<\/p>\n Marlen Reusser of Switzerland and Team Movistar. Photograph: Tim de Waele\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.11 EDT<\/p>\n 106km to go: Adegeest is a former speed skater, and won the UCI ESports World Championships in 2022 and 2023.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a group of 11 dropped riders now, two minutes down on the front of the race. A long day in store.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.03 EDT<\/p>\n 107km to go: The breakaway riders are nearing the summit of the C\u00f4te d\u2019Aurec. They have a 50sec advantage and will hoover up all the QOM points on offer.<\/p>\n CORRECTION: Despite the fact that the official Tour de France Femmes<\/a> website lists Adegeest\u2019s birthday as 6 August, it appears it\u2019s actually 7 August.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.03 EDT<\/p>\n 108km to go: Hang on \u2026 it\u2019s Loes Adegeest\u2019s 30th birthday today! She\u2019s in the breakaway, and obviously fancies a stage win as a birthday present. Or at the very least, a bit of time in the limelight. And why not?<\/p>\n Loes Adegeest rides with Nikola Noskova. Photograph: Nicolas Tucat\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n 110km to go: Eleonora Ciabocco (Picnic-PostNL) has abandoned. All three riders to abandon today are Italian.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.53 EDT<\/p>\n 113km to go: The C\u00f4te d\u2019Aurec is up next. It\u2019s 3.3km long, with a 6.1% average gradient.<\/p>\n The advantage of the three leaders has fallen to 40sec.<\/p>\n On the road again. Photograph: Tim de Waele\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.51 EDT<\/p>\n 118km to go: The leading trio have 55sec.<\/p>\n The dropped riders are 30sec behind the bunch.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 122km to go: Not only was Noskova in the bunch, she\u2019s attacked with two others: Loes Adegeest (Lidl-Trek) and Katrine Aalerud (Uno-X Mobility).<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 128km to go: Nine riders have been dropped and are 25sec down: Koster, Ciabocco, Eraso Lasa, Vigilia, Coston, Rijnbeek, Kool, Clay, and Griffin.<\/p>\n Noskova was there, but has rejoined the main bunch. Good effort.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.33 EDT<\/p>\n 130km to go: Pieterse was present and correct on the first climb, and took the maximum two QOM points. Sara Casasola, also of Fenix-Premier Tech, took the other point. Even better! (From Pieterse\u2019s perspective.)<\/p>\n Puck Pieterse (fourth from right) is on the attack again. Photograph: Tim de Waele\/GettyShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.26 EDT<\/p>\n And here\u2019s the points classification top 10:<\/p>\n 1) Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) 131pts Lorena Wiebes of SD Worx-Protime. Photograph: Tim de Waele\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n 133km to go: The bunch is nearly atop the C\u00f4te de P\u00e9rigneux.<\/p>\n The C\u00f4te de la Prunerie, another category-four, follows almost immediately: 2.9km long, average gradient 4.9%.<\/p>\n Racing on stage six. Photograph: Tim de Waele\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.21 EDT<\/p>\n Here are the QOM standings after Pieterse\u2019s impressive all-out assault on stage five, when she nabbed 19pts:<\/p>\n 1) Puck Pieterse (Fenix Premier-Tech) 37pts Puck Pieterse. Photograph: Tim de Waele\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.18 EDT<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the top 10 in the general classification:<\/p>\n 1) Reusser (Movistar) 15hr 41min 18sec (Bonus: 12sec) Puck Pieterse (left) and Marlen Reusser. Photograph: Tim de Waele\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.16 EDT<\/p>\n 137km to go: Will Puck Pieterse be on the warpath for QOM points again? I very much expect so. On which note, let\u2019s take a look at the classifications as they stood after stage five.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 137.5km to go: The group of dropped riders has swelled to six.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.11 EDT<\/p>\n 138km to go: Nelson is caught. But two of her teammates \u2013 Eleonora Ciabocco and Lene Robyn Clay \u2013 have been dropped. Mia Griffin, also of Picnic-PostNL, has been dropped too! Did they neglect to have their Weetabix this morning, or did Nelson steal it all at the Picnic-PostNL team hotel?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.10 EDT<\/p>\n 139km to go: Josie Nelson (Picnic-PostNL) \u2013 who hails from Lichfield in Staffordshire \u2013 has attacked solo approaching the first climb.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.06 EDT<\/p>\n 141km to go: The bunch is all together.<\/p>\n ICYMI (a vintage internet acronym for you there) here is Jeremy Whittle\u2019s piece about alleged use of chest padding for aerodynamic benefit in the time trial on Tuesday:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 143km to go: The official feed on the TdF Femmes website says 134 riders started. But on the live tracker, it says 133 in the bunch, and there are no dropped riders that I can see. It\u2019s certainly in the ball park of 130, anyway.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.01 EDT<\/p>\n 144km to go: If you are somewhere on the race route, waiting to cheer on the riders, send me an email and a photo<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you are not somewhere on the race route, waiting to cheer on the riders, send me an email<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 145km to go: Today\u2019s first climb is the C\u00f4te de P\u00e9rigneux, a cheeky little 1.4km affair, category-four, average gradient 6.2%.<\/p>\n Note: It\u2019s obviously not cheeky in any way.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Barbara Malcotti (Human Powered Health) and Monica Trinca Colonel (Liv-Alula-Jayco) are withdrawals as of stage six. Meaning 134 riders started today.<\/p>\n The official withdrawals page can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Racing on stage six<\/p>\n Neutralised rollout complete, flag waved, and they\u2019re off.<\/p>\n Sadly there is AFL on my telly (nothing against AFL) \u2013 but live coverage on TNT Sports begins at 2.30pm UK time, AKA BST.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.51 EDT<\/p>\n Stage five was a doozy. Don\u2019t miss Jeremy Whittle\u2019s report:<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Preamble<\/p>\n Mont Ventoux looms ever closer \u2013 one of the hardest climbs in cycling will be tackled by the peloton on Friday \u2013 but today\u2019s 153km trip from Montbrison to Tournon-sur-Rh\u00f4ne is much more than a transitional stage en route to the Giant of Provence.<\/p>\n Six categorised climbs await \u2013 2,600m of vertical ascent \u2013 as the race winds its way through some stunning (if parched and wildfire-threatened) French countryside, finishing on the banks of the Rh\u00f4ne river in the Ard\u00e9che department.<\/p>\n Yesterday\u2019s stage, when the trio of Demi Vollering, Marlen Reusser and Kasia Niewiadoma struck out together to fight for victory<\/a>, was a draining, enthralling affair and especially challenging straight after Tuesday\u2019s individual time trial<\/a>. It would be little surprise if a suitably-constituted breakaway is allowed up the road today, allowing the GC riders a bit of respite before the gruelling test of tomorrow.<\/p>\n
Col de Lalouvesc (Cat 2, 8.6km, 5%, 47.8km remaining)
C\u00f4te de Boucieu-le-Roi (Cat 3, 3.8km, 5.7%, 15.9km remaining)<\/p>\n
2) Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) 68pts
3) Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) 65pts
4) Noemi R\u00fcegg (EF Education-Oatly) 62pts
5) Sigrid Haugset (Uno-X Mobility) 55pts
6) Marlen Reusser (Movistar) 52pts
7) Kim Le Court (AG Insurance\u2013Soudal) 52pts
8) Carlotta Cipressi (Human Powered Health) 42pts
9) Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease A Bike) 42pts
10) Dominika Wlodarcyzk (UAE Team L\u2019Imad) 40pts<\/p>\n
2) Nikola Noskova (Cofidis) 14pts
3) Sigrid Haugset (Uno-X Mobility) 11pts
4) Ma\u00ebva Squiban (UAE Team L\u2019Imad) 9pts
5) Ocean\u00e9 Mahe (Ma Petite Entreprise] 8pts
6) Anouska Koster (Uno-X Mobility) 7pts
7) Liane Lippert (Movistar) 7pts
8) Ema Comte (Cofidis) 6pts
9) Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) 5pts
10) Idoia Eraso Lasa (Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi) 5pts<\/p>\n
2) Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) +12sec (Bonus: 18sec)
3) Niewiadoma (Canyon\/SRAM) +1min 17sec (Bonus: 4sec)
4) Niedermaier (Canyon\/SRAM) +2min 40sec
5) Wlodarczyk (UAE L\u2019Imad) +2min 54sec (Bonus: 2sec)
6) Longo Borghini (UAE L\u2019Imad) +2min 58sec
7) Holmgren (Lidl Trek) +3min 05sec
8) De Vries (Visma-Lease A Bike) +3min 11sec
9) Kerbaol (EF Education Oatly) +3min 41sec
10) Blaisi Cairol (UAE L\u2019Imad) +3min 51sec<\/p>\n