In Amnéville, France, Demi Vollering, the defending champion of the women’s Tour de France, faced a setback during the fifth stage from Bastogne, Belgium to Amnéville. While descending into Amnéville and exiting a roundabout, Vollering was involved in a high-speed crash along with over 10 other riders. Despite the mishap, she managed to resume the race; however, her three main rivals in the overall standings – Puck Pieterse, Kasia Niewiadoma, and Kristen Faulkner – had already crossed the finish line.

As a result of the crash, Vollering’s 22-second lead over Pieterse evaporated. Niewiadoma, who had previously finished third in the 2022 and 2023 races, secured second place in the stage and claimed the overall lead, while Blanka Vas from Hungary emerged victorious in the stage. Vollering currently sits in ninth place overall.

The women’s Tour de France will proceed through eastern France, with the race set to culminate on Sunday at the challenging Alpe d’Huez climb with its renowned 21 hairpin bends.
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