Stage 6 of the Tour de France Femmes 2025 brings the first proper mountain test of the race. The 124km route from Clermont-Ferrand to Ambert includes over 2,300m of climbing, with three tough ascents packed into the final third of the stage. After the punchy finishes of the early days, this is where the overall contenders will begin to make their real moves.
Will Vollering respond to Le Court’s yellow jersey run in the mountains?
The peloton leaves Clermont-Ferrand for a stage that has the potential to reshape the GC. The opening half of the day is manageable, but from kilometre 79 onwards, it’s all uphill. The Col du Béal (10.2km at 5.6%) is the first major test, and while it doesn’t hit extreme gradients, the length and timing will start to cause splits. The road barely lets up before the Col du Chansert (6.3km at 5.5%), followed by a short drop and then the Côte de Valcivières (4.5km at 5.3%), which tops out with 12km to go.
The final run to Ambert descends across narrow roads and technical bends, before levelling out slightly inside the last 5km. Riders with strong descending legs may have the edge if gaps open before the final climb’s summit.
After five stages, Kim Le Court has taken hold of the yellow jersey following a brilliant win into Guéret. The Mauritian rider outsprinted a reduced GC group that included Demi Vollering, Kasia Niewiadoma, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Pauliena Rooijakkers and her own teammate Sarah Gigante. Le Court has become the breakout rider of the race, and with another hilly day ahead, she’ll be looking to limit losses or perhaps even strengthen her position again.
This is also a day where riders like Ferrand-Prévot or Anna van der Breggen could make a move. The 2022 champion was aggressive in Stage 5 and may see the final climb as an ideal launchpad. FDJ-Suez remain well positioned too, with Vollering a GC favourite, and Évita Muzic, Juliette Labous and Elise Chabbey offering climbing depth.
Other names to watch include Cédrine Kerbaol, Puck Pieterse, and Mavi García, who won Stage 2 with a daring solo break. All three may look for time or redemption after mixed fortunes earlier in the week.
What’s on offer
Date: Thursday, 31st July
Distance: 124km
Start/Finish: Clermont-Ferrand – Ambert
Climbs:
- Côte de Courpière (1.7km at 6.8%) – km 37
- Côte d’Augerolles (2.6km at 5.6%) – km 45.7
- Col du Béal (10.2km at 5.6%) – km 79.2
- Col du Chansert (6.3km at 5.5%) – km 94.7
- Côte de Valcivières (4.5km at 5.3%) – km 111.6
Sprints:
- No intermediate sprint
Prediction
This profile looks made for Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. She was climbing well on Stage 5 and has the descending ability to attack on the run-in to Ambert. With GC contenders still closely matched, she could break clear late on and take her first Tour stage win.
