Results Tour de France Femmes 2026 stage 6 - Kim Le Court wins wild day in Massif Central as Elisa Longo Borghini edges closer to the podium

Stage 6 of the Tour de France Femmes was another hilly day that promised both action in terms of fighting for the stage win, and that for the overall classification. And it delivered.

153 kilometers on the menu and a lot of climbing. Like the previous day, the riders would find themselves on the Massif Central and on roads that were unrelenting. Right after the start in Montbrison, the peloton would find two small climbs - and throughout the day, just from the categorized ones, there would be four more.

A difficult day to manage, and one where the overall classification could blow up. Katrine Aalerud, Nikola Nosková and Loes Adegeest formed an early breakaway but the gap didn't last long, as the race began imploding from quite early on as well - recognizing the danger of such a stage.

Anna van der Breggen was dropped with around 80 kilometers to go under the high pace in the peloton, and the attacks began to fly right after with FDJ active in front, amongst other teams. The break was caught with 54 to go and the attacks were constant up front. Paula Blasi, Célia Gery and Cédrine Kerbaol were all riders trying to create the winning move; and eventually a group did manage to go off the front.

Sarah van Dam, Célia Gery, Elisa Longo Borghini, Liane Lippert, Cédrine Cerbaol and Puck Pieterse went on the attack, a dangerous group not only featuring several victory contenders for the stage but also a GC danger in Longo Borghini specially, which would force the small peloton to continue to chase on.

Later on, Kim le Court and Riejanne Markus also moved away from the GC group behind, in which it was difficult to organize a proper chase, and tension was high. A group of 8 formed out front with 10 kilometers to go, looking certain to reach the finish in Tournon-sur-Rhône with enough time to hold off the Reusser-Vollering group.

In the final flat kilometers, all riders knew that any gap could turn out to be the winning one, and that opportunity could decide the stage. Riejanne Markus tried on two occasions to attack but often it was Elisa Longo Borghini herself who responded to the attacks, to try and keep the group's momentum and carry out her GC assault.

The eight riders in the end had a sprint finish to decide the stage and here it was Kim Le Court who managed to get the best of her rivals with a long sprint, taking a stage win at the Tour for a second year in a row. Kerbaol and Pieterse completed the podium; whilst Longo Borghini won 26 seconds on the Reusser group.