MÂCON > BELLEVILLE-EN-BEAUJOLAIS (August 5, 2026) — On paper, Stage 5 from Mâcon to Belleville-en-Beaujolais was set to be one of the most thrilling spectacles in this 2026 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, and the outcome has well been on par with the expectations. Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) tore the Grande Boucle apart with an attack 31 kilometres from the finish that saw defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike) fall out of contention. Later on, in the final climb of the day, the Dutch rider launched a number of accelerations that only Yellow Jersey Marlen Reusser (Movistar Team) and 2024 overall winner Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon//SRAM) could withstand. The deluxe front trio sprinted for victory at the finish, with Vollering claiming her fourth stage win in the Tour and Reusser keeping the lead in the general classification by 12” on the Dutch star and 1’17” on Niewiadoma-Phinney. Next up in the standings is the new owner of the white jersey, Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon//SRAM), at 2’40”. Time for teams and riders to regroup ahead of Thursday’s stage: another demanding, lumpy day between Montbrison and the Tournon-sur-Rhône.
136 riders took the start of Stage 5 of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift as of 13:59 CEST. There were two non-starters: Hannah Ludwig (Cofidis) and Teuntje Beekhuis (Uno-X Mobility). The 140-kilometer route from Mâcon to Belleville-en-Beaujolais was one of the toughest stages of the Grande Boucle on paper, featuring eight categorized climbs and 2,900 meters of elevation gain.
Demanding pace in an up-and-down stage
The opening kilometers followed a familiar pattern, with several riders attacking on the climbs to increase the pace and drop riders from the back of the peloton, but without creating a significant gap. Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech) then accelerated toward each summit to claim maximum points in the Queen of the Mountains classification.
That pattern was repeated on the Côte de Cenves (Category 2, km 12.6), Col de la Croix de l’Orme (Category 4, km 28.4), Côte de Saint-Christophe (Category 4, km 33.7) and Col de Fontmartin (Category 3, km 54.1).
One of the unsuccessful attackers, Carlota Cipressi (Human Powered Health), was first across the intermediate sprint in Monsols (km 39.5), with Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) leading the peloton across the line in second to extend her lead in the points classification.
Meanwhile, India Grangier (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93) withdrew from the race, underscoring the demands of the pace despite the absence of a successful breakaway.
19-rider breakaway forms with Niedermaier, Wlodarczyk and Berthet
At the top of the Col de Fontmartin, a series of accelerations finally split the race, with a 19-rider breakaway going clear on the descent. The group included Femke de Vries, Sarah Van Dam (Visma | Lease a Bike), Juliette Berthet, Franziska Koch (FDJ United-Suez), Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon//SRAM), Dominika Wlodarczyk, Maëva Squiban (UAE Team L’Imad), Nienke Vinke (SD Worx-Protime), Liane Lippert (Movistar Team), Amanda Spratt, Riejanne Markus, Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek), Lore de Schepper, Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal), Magdeleine Vallieres, Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly), Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech), Thalita De Jong (Human Powered Health) and Célia Le Mouël (Ma Petite Entreprise).
Hesitation in the peloton allowed the breakaway to establish a sizable advantage, reaching 1 minute, 40 seconds at the top of the Col de Gerbet (Category 2, km 68.7). Pieterse was first over the summit once again, securing the polka dot jersey and extending her lead in the Mountains classification. She added more points later at the Côte de Pruzilly (Category 4, km 75.3).
The breakaway’s advantage reached 1:45, putting Niedermaier — who had started the stage ninth overall, 1:43 behind Yellow Jersey Marlen Reusser — into the virtual race lead. FDJ United-Suez and Movistar Team began driving the peloton, which had been reduced to about 40 riders, to keep the breakaway within reach.
Excellent teamwork by FDJ United-Suez sets up Vollering’s victory
The breakaway reached its maximum advantage of 1:50 with 50 kilometers remaining. From there, the peloton steadily closed the gap and was just 1:20 behind at the foot of the Col de Durbize (Category 3, km 109.7).
Évita Muzic and Célia Gery set up a devastating attack by their leader, Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez), 700 meters from the summit. Only Isabella Holmgren (Lidl-Trek), Yellow Jersey Reusser (Movistar Team) and 2024 overall winner Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon//SRAM) could follow.
Defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike), French hope Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) and Dutch legend Anna Van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) were dropped at that point and ultimately lost 2:35 at the finish.
The Yellow Jersey group reached the front of the race with 22 kilometers remaining, where Vollering was joined by teammates Berthet and Koch, both of whom had been part of the day’s breakaway. Their presence proved instrumental as the leaders built a gap over chasers Paula Blasi, Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team L’Imad) and Kim Le Court-Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal).
The trio trailed by 35 seconds at the Bonus Point in Saint-Lager (km 125.8), where Reusser collected six bonus seconds and Vollering four.
With 1.7 kilometers remaining before the summit of Mont Brouilly (Category 2, km 129.5), Vollering launched another acceleration that only Reusser and Niewiadoma-Phinney could match. Niewiadoma-Phinney opened the sprint with 300 meters remaining, but Vollering and Reusser came around her, with Vollering taking the stage victory.
The win was Vollering’s fourth stage victory in the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
Wlodarczyk, Holmgren and Niedermaier finished 45 seconds behind, allowing Niedermaier to move into fourth overall and take the white jersey from Blasi, who lost 2:27. Le Court-Pienaar and Longo Borghini finished 1:43 behind Vollering.
Stage 5 Results:
| 1 | D. VOLLERING | FDJ UNITED-SUEZ | 03h 53′ 54” | – | B : 14” | – |
| 2 | M. REUSSER | MOVISTAR TEAM | 03h 53′ 54” | – | B : 12” | – |
| 3 | K. NIEWIADOMA-PHINNEY | CANYON//SRAM | 03h 53′ 54” | – | B : 4” | – |
| 4 | D. WLODARCZYK | UAE Team L’IMAD | 03h 54′ 39” | + 00h 00′ 45” | B : 2” | – |
| 5 | I. HOLMGREN | LIDL – TREK | 03h 54′ 39” | + 00h 00′ 45” | – | – |
| 6 | A. NIEDERMAIER | CANYON//SRAM | 03h 54′ 39” | + 00h 00′ 45” | – | – |
| 7 | N. VINKE | TEAM SD WORX – PROTIME | 03h 55′ 06” | + 00h 01′ 12” | – | – |
| 8 | F. DE VRIES | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | 03h 55′ 06” | + 00h 01′ 12” | – | – |
| 9 | T. DE JONG | HUMAN POWERED HEALTH | 03h 55′ 06” | + 00h 01′ 12” | – | – |
| 10 | N. FISHER-BLACK | LIDL – TREK | 03h 55′ 09” | + 00h 01′ 15” | – | – |
General Classification after Stage 5:
| 1 | M. REUSSER | MOVISTAR TEAM | 15h 41′ 18” | – | B : 12” | – |
| 2 | D. VOLLERING | FDJ UNITED-SUEZ | 15h 41′ 30” | + 00h 00′ 12” | B : 18” | – |
| 3 | K. NIEWIADOMA-PHINNEY | CANYON//SRAM | 15h 42′ 35” | + 00h 01′ 17” | B : 4” | – |
| 4 | A. NIEDERMAIER | CANYON//SRAM | 15h 43′ 58” | + 00h 02′ 40” | – | – |
| 5 | D. WLODARCZYK | UAE Team L’IMAD | 15h 44′ 12” | + 00h 02′ 54” | B : 2” | – |
| 6 | E. LONGO BORGHINI | UAE Team L’IMAD | 15h 44′ 16” | + 00h 02′ 58” | – | – |
| 7 | I. HOLMGREN | LIDL – TREK | 15h 44′ 23” | + 00h 03′ 05” | – | – |
| 8 | F. DE VRIES | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | 15h 44′ 29” | + 00h 03′ 11” | – | – |
| 9 | C. KERBAOL | EF EDUCATION – OATLY | 15h 44′ 59” | + 00h 03′ 41” | – | – |
| 10 | P. BLASI CAIROL | UAE Team L’IMAD | 15h 45′ 09” | + 00h 03′ 51” | – | – |
