Stage 5: The Stage That Shattered the GC

The Tour de France Femmes delivers a pure spring classic, with eight categorised climbs, relentless attacking and a brutal battle that tears the general classification apart.Demi Vollering finishes off a complete FDJ team performance to win the stage, while Marlen Reusser remains ice-cold under pressure and retains the yellow jersey by just 12 seconds. Kasia Niewiadoma reminds everyone why she can never be overlooked, taking third and moving onto the provisional podium.Behind them, the damage is enormous. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Anna van der Breggen, Kim Le Court and Elisa Longo Borghini all lose ground as the race becomes a zombie march toward the finish. Tils, Verita and Sarah Gigante unpack FDJ’s tactics, the decisive breakaway and the descending skills that separated the best riders in the race.The team also examines the shifting UAE leadership battle, Antonia Niedermaier and Isabella Holmgren’s fight for white, the strange disappearance of neutral service bottles in extreme heat, and whether the GC contenders can recover before Mont Ventoux.Plus, Sarah explains exactly what she wants to hear through the radio during a time trial, and why too much encouragement can sometimes make things worse.The Domestiques Daily Tour de France Femmes is powered by Black Sheep and Join Cycling. Build your personalised cycling or running plan free for 30 days at join.cc/domestiques. Use code DOMESTIQUES for 20% off Black Sheep.