The pure sprint days are done – now the race tilts upwards. Stage 5 of the Tour de France Femmes takes the peloton deep into the heart of France and into the hillier Creuse department. At 166km, it’s the longest stage of this year’s race and offers a first proper test for the puncheurs, breakaway riders, and even GC contenders, with three classified climbs in the final 30km before a fast run-in to Guéret.
The terrain throughout the day steadily rises from the Vienne plains into the foothills of the Massif Central, and although the climbs aren’t long or steep, their placement late in the stage makes them key launchpads for attacks.
Final 40km offer punchy climbs and GC implications
The first 100km of the route from Jaunay-Marigny are steady and mostly rolling. Riders climb imperceptibly from around 100m elevation up to 400m, but the action will begin in earnest with 50km to go. From there, the terrain turns hillier and more selective.
The trio of climbs begins with the Côte de Chabannes (1.4km at 5.2%), followed quickly by the Côte de Peyroux (3.3km at 4.3%), both of which will wear down the peloton before the key obstacle of the day – Le Maupuy (2.8km at 5.4%). That climb tops out just under 6km from the finish and includes bonus seconds near the summit, making it a target for GC riders.
After cresting Le Maupuy, the riders descend quickly into Guéret, where the final 500 metres rise gently again – a draggy finish that will reward a strong sprinter or aggressive climber with good timing.
What’s on offer
Date: Wednesday, 30th July
Distance: 166km
Start/Finish: Jaunay-Marigny – Guéret
Climbs:
- Côte de Chabannes (cat. 4, km 134.8)
- Côte de Peyroux (cat. 3, km 144)
- Le Maupuy (cat. 3, km 160.1)
Prediction
Marianne Vos already has one win in this year’s race, and stage 5 is a chance for her to double up. She looked strong on the stage 2 climbs and should be able to handle this hillier profile, especially with her excellent positioning skills and finishing speed. With bonus seconds up for grabs and a punchy finish, Vos is perfectly suited to this terrain and will be motivated to put more time into her rivals.
