Stage 6 of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes takes place on Thursday 6 August, covering 153.4 kilometres from Montbrison to Tournon-sur-Rhône.
The neutralised start is scheduled for 12:35 BST, with the riders expected to begin racing at approximately 12:45 BST. The fastest official schedule places the finish at 16:41 BST, although a slower stage could push the arrival back towards 17:08 BST.
Every kilometre of Stage 6 is due to be shown live in the UK. Coverage will be available through TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max, with the broadcast expected to begin around the neutralised start rather than after the breakaway has formed.
Viewers primarily interested in the decisive part of the stage should aim to be watching by 15:15 BST, before the race reaches the Col de Lalouvesc and the difficult final 50 kilometres.
Tour de France Femmes Stage 6 timings
| Stage detail | UK time |
|---|---|
| Neutralised start | 12:35 BST |
| Expected racing start | Approximately 12:45 BST |
| Live coverage | From around 12:35 BST |
| Col de Lalouvesc summit | Approximately 15:27 to 15:46 BST |
| Côte de Boucieu-le-Roi summit | Approximately 16:20 to 16:43 BST |
| Expected finish | 16:41 to 17:08 BST |
| Free UK highlights | 19:00 on 5 |
The finish window is wider than the headline expected arrival because the official schedule is calculated at average speeds of 35, 37 and 39km/h. A fast day would place the winner in Tournon-sur-Rhône shortly after 16:40 BST, while difficult racing or slower conditions could move the finish beyond 17:00.
The full race timetable, including every remaining stage, is available in our Tour de France Femmes 2026 TV schedule and start-times guide.
How to watch Stage 6 live in the UK
UK viewers can watch Stage 6 through:
- TNT Sports 1
- HBO Max
- 5 at 19:00 for free-to-air highlights
HBO Max is now the direct streaming home of TNT Sports cycling coverage in the UK. Discovery+ is no longer the British streaming platform for the race.
Viewers using HBO Max should make sure their subscription includes the relevant sports access. An entertainment-only package may not provide the live TNT Sports feed.
The stage should also remain available as a full replay after the live broadcast. Our dedicated guide to watching the Tour de France Femmes in the UK explains the television, streaming and highlights options in more detail.
Photo Credit: GettyTour de France Femmes Stage 6 international broadcasters
| Country or region | Broadcaster or streaming service |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | TNT Sports and HBO Max |
| United States | NBC Sports and Peacock |
| Canada | FloSports and FloBikes |
| France | France Télévisions and france.tv |
| Belgium | RTBF and VRT |
| Netherlands | NOS |
| Germany | ARD |
| Spain | RTVE |
| Ireland | TG4 |
| Australia | SBS and SBS On Demand |
| New Zealand | Sky Sport |
Availability can differ between television channels, online services and individual subscription packages. The complete territory-by-territory picture is covered in our Tour de France Femmes 2026 live-stream guide.
Why watching from the start could matter
Stage 6 is designed for attackers rather than as a quiet transition towards Mont Ventoux.
The first categorised climb arrives after 20.2 kilometres, with the Côte de la Prunerie following at kilometre 26.6. Teams still looking for a stage victory should begin attacking almost immediately, particularly when this is the final hilly opportunity before the race reaches its headline summit finish.
The Tour de France Femmes breakaway specialists will recognise the opportunity. A strong group containing riders far enough down the general classification could be given several minutes, especially if Movistar and the other GC teams decide to preserve energy for Friday.
Stage 5 demonstrated why the composition of the escape still matters. Antonia Niedermaier, Femke de Vries and Dominika Włodarczyk were all allowed into a large breakaway despite beginning the day within two minutes of Marlen Reusser.
Niedermaier briefly reached the virtual race lead before the strongest overall contenders brought the move back. Movistar should therefore inspect every attack more carefully on Stage 6, but controlling a hilly opening could become expensive.
The key Stage 6 viewing points
Col de Lalouvesc
The Col de Lalouvesc is the longest climb of the stage, measuring 8.6 kilometres at an average gradient of 5%.
Its summit comes with 47.8 kilometres remaining. The leaders are expected to reach the top between approximately 15:27 and 15:46 BST, depending on the day’s average speed.
The climb is not steep enough to guarantee a major general classification selection, but its length should reduce the breakaway and place the pure sprinters under serious pressure. A strong attacker may also use the upper slopes to create separation before the long descent towards the final climb.
Anyone wanting to see the complete decisive phase should be watching before the race reaches Lalouvesc.
Côte de Boucieu-le-Roi
The Côte de Boucieu-le-Roi is the final categorised ascent, covering 3.8 kilometres at 5.7%.
Its summit is positioned 15.9 kilometres from the finish. The official schedule places the riders there between approximately 16:20 and 16:43 BST.
The gradients appear moderate, but the climb comes after almost 140 kilometres of repeated elevation changes. It should be raced far harder than its average figure suggests.
Riders without a fast finish will need to attack here. Anyone carrying Marianne Vos, Puck Pieterse or Liane Lippert comfortably over the summit risks being beaten in Tournon-sur-Rhône.
Bonus Point at Saint-Barthélemy-le-Plain
The Stage 6 Bonus Point comes at Saint-Barthélemy-le-Plain with 9.2 kilometres remaining.
It offers:
- Six seconds to the first rider
- Four seconds to the second rider
- Two seconds to the third rider
Those seconds could be significant if the breakaway has been caught. Reusser leads Demi Vollering by only 12 seconds after Stage 5, meaning Vollering could halve the gap without physically distancing the yellow jersey.
The finish itself also carries bonuses of ten, six and four seconds. The full system is explained in our Tour de France Femmes time-bonuses guide.
Reusser starts Stage 6 with only 12 seconds in hand
Reusser retained yellow on Stage 5 after following Vollering and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney through the decisive late selection.
Vollering won the sprint in Belleville-en-Beaujolais and collected the ten-second stage bonus. Reusser took six seconds for second place, reducing her advantage from 14 seconds to 12.
The top of the general classification before Stage 6 is:
| Position | Rider | Team | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marlen Reusser | Movistar | 15:41:18 |
| 2 | Demi Vollering | FDJ United-Suez | +0:12 |
| 3 | Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney | Canyon SRAM | +1:17 |
| 4 | Antonia Niedermaier | Canyon SRAM | +2:40 |
| 5 | Dominika Włodarczyk | UAE Team L’IMAD | +2:54 |
The terrain is less likely to produce major gaps than Mont Ventoux on Friday, but the narrow margin means neither Reusser nor Vollering can completely ignore the intermediate and finish bonuses.
Movistar’s first task is to prevent a dangerous GC rider entering the escape. FDJ United-Suez can then decide whether six intermediate seconds justify using energy one day before the biggest climb of the Tour.
Can Lorena Wiebes survive the climbs?
A conventional bunch sprint is possible but unlikely.
Stage 6 contains six categorised climbs and around 2,500 metres of elevation. The Col de Lalouvesc and Côte de Boucieu-le-Roi give rival teams two clear opportunities to distance Lorena Wiebes and the other pure sprinters.
Wiebes has the power to remain close if the climbs are raced conservatively, but SD Worx-Protime may have to commit several riders to bringing her back after the final summit. The teams represented in the breakaway and those protecting GC leaders will have little reason to help.
Marianne Vos is better suited to the route. She can survive repeated moderate climbs and remains one of the fastest riders likely to reach Tournon-sur-Rhône in a reduced group.
Puck Pieterse, Liane Lippert, Paula Blasi and Noemi Rüegg also have several routes towards victory. They can attack on the final climb, use the descent to create separation or wait for a small-group sprint.
When should UK viewers tune in?
The best time depends on how much of the stage viewers want to see.
Watch from 12:35 BST to follow the complete stage, including the early breakaway fight.
Watch from 15:15 BST to see the Col de Lalouvesc, the reduction of the break and the beginning of the decisive final section.
Watch from 16:10 BST for the Côte de Boucieu-le-Roi, the Bonus Point and the battle for the stage victory.
Waiting until 16:30 risks missing the decisive attack. The final climb tops out less than 16 kilometres from the finish, and a fast race could reach Tournon-sur-Rhône shortly after 16:40.
Stage 6 live viewing summary
- Date: Thursday 6 August 2026
- Route: Montbrison to Tournon-sur-Rhône
- Distance: 153.4km
- Neutralised start: 12:35 BST
- Expected racing start: Approximately 12:45 BST
- Live UK coverage: From around 12:35 BST
- Recommended viewing time: By 15:15 BST
- Expected finish: Between 16:41 and 17:08 BST
- UK television: TNT Sports 1
- UK streaming: HBO Max
- Free UK highlights: 5 at 19:00
- US streaming: Peacock
- Canada: FloBikes
- Likely outcome: Breakaway victory or reduced sprint
- Final climb: Côte de Boucieu-le-Roi, summit 15.9 kilometres from the finish
