Marlen Reusser rides with a group in a race during Tour de France Femmes étape 5 near Belleville-en-Beaujolais.

'I was asleep. I don't know what I did', Reusser keeps yellow but sprint lapse leaves Vollering just 12 seconds back

Vollering cut her deficit to 12 seconds with an aggressive victory, while Reusser retained yellow but blamed herself for losing momentum in the decisive sprint.

By Peter Stuart · · 3 min read

Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) said she was “done” with cautious racing before attacking her way to victory on Stage 5 of the Tour de France Femmes, while race leader Marlen Reusser (Movistar Team) admitted she had been “asleep” in the decisive sprint.

Speaking in post-stage press conferences recorded by Velora, the two riders reflected on contrasting finishes to Wednesday’s 140km stage from Mâcon to Belleville-en-Beaujolais. Vollering beat Reusser after catching an early move from Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon//SRAM) on the finishing straight.

The trio had separated from the other general classification contenders on Mont Brouilly. The result left Vollering 12 seconds behind Reusser and Niewiadoma-Phinney third at 1:17, strengthening the impression that the podium race has become a three-rider contest.

Results

Aug 5

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
NL flagDemi Vollering
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ3:53:54
🥈
CH flagMarlen Reusser
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:00
🥉
PL flagKatarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney
CANYON//SRAM+0:00
4
PL flagDominika Wlodarczyk
UAE Team L’IMAD+0:45
5
CA flagIsabella Holmgren
LIDL - TREK+0:45
6
DE flagAntonia Niedermaier
CANYON//SRAM+0:45
7
NL flagNienke Vinke
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+1:12
8
NL flagFemke de Vries
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+1:12
9
NL flagThalita de Jong
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+1:12
10
NZ flagNiamh Fisher Black
LIDL - TREK+1:15
11
NL flagPuck Pieterse
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+1:43
12
Kim le Court de Billot Pienaar
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+1:43
13
FR flagJuliette Berthet
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+1:43
14
IT flagElisa Longo Borghini
UAE Team L’IMAD+1:43
15
ES flagPaula Blasi Cairol
UAE Team L’IMAD+2:27
16
AU flagAmanda Spratt
LIDL - TREK+2:27
17
FR flagCedrine Kerbaol
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+2:35
18
NL flagAnna van der Breggen
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+2:35
19
FR flagPauline Ferrand Prevot
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+2:35
20
BE flagJustine Ghekiere
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+2:39
21
FR flagCelia le Mouel
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+3:20
22
CA flagMagdeleine Vallieres Mill
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+3:27
23
FR flagMaeva Squiban
UAE Team L’IMAD+5:36
24
ES flagMavi Garcia Canellas
UAE Team L’IMAD+5:36
25
FR flagEmilie Morier
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+6:15
26
NL flagNina Buijsman
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+6:15
27
FR flagOceane Mahe
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+6:15
28
PL flagKarolina Perekitko
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+6:15
29
NO flagKatrine Aalerud
UNO-X MOBILITY+6:15
30
CA flagNadia Gontova
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+6:15
31
FR flagLaura Asencio
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+6:15
32
US flagKristen Faulkner
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+6:15
33
IT flagDebora Silvestri
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+6:15
34
FR flagEvita Muzic
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+6:15
35
FR flagTitia Ryo
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+6:15
36
CH flagNoemi Ruegg
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+6:15
37
FR flagCelia Gery
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+6:15
38
DE flagFranziska Koch
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+6:15
39
CA flagSarah van Dam
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+6:15
40
DE flagLiane Lippert
MOVISTAR TEAM+6:15
41
NL flagMischa Bredewold
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+6:15
42
IT flagSara Casasola
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+6:15
43
NO flagSigrid Haugset
UNO-X MOBILITY+8:02
44
NL flagRiejanne Markus
LIDL - TREK+10:02
45
GB flagZoe Jane Backstedt
CANYON//SRAM+10:02
46
DE flagMaria Rosa Kloeser
CANYON//SRAM+10:02
47
BE flagLore de Schepper
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+10:02
48
GB flagAlice Towers
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+10:02
49
IT flagGaia Masetti
Team Picnic PostNL+10:25
50
FR flagJulie Bego
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+10:39
51
CO flagPaula Patino Bedoya
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+10:39
52
FR flagSolene Muller
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+12:13
53
NL flagLucinda Brand
LIDL - TREK+12:13
54
BR flagAna Vitoria Gouvea Vieira Almeida Magalhaes
MOVISTAR TEAM+14:22
55
ES flagPaula Ostiz
MOVISTAR TEAM+14:22
56
US flagLily Williams
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+14:22
57
ES flagMireia Benito Pellicer
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+14:22
58
NL flagSilke Smulders
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+14:22
59
IT flagElisa Balsamo
LIDL - TREK+16:58
60
PL flagAgnieszka Skalniak Sojka
CANYON//SRAM+16:58
61
NL flagAmber Kraak
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+18:33
62
NZ flagHenrietta Christie
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+20:10
63
IT flagSoraya Paladin
CANYON//SRAM+20:10
64
BE flagLotte Kopecky
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+20:10
65
BE flagShari Bossuyt
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+20:10
66
SI flagUrska Zigart
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+21:00
67
FR flagMarie le Net
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+24:57
68
FR flagVictorie Guilman
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+24:57
69
FR flagMarion Bunel
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+24:57
70
NL flagQuinty Schoens
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+24:57
71
NL flagSophie von Berswordt
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+24:57
72
BE flagSandrine Tas
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+24:57
73
NL flagLieke Nooijen
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+24:57
74
FR flagClemence Latimier
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+24:57
75
IT flagLetizia Paternoster
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+24:57
76
NL flagEline Jansen
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+24:57
77
LU flagNina Berton
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+24:57
78
NL flagMarit Raaijmakers
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+24:57
79
NL flagMarianne Vos
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+24:57
80
IT flagCarlotta Cipressi
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+24:57
81
US flagNatalie Quinn
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+24:57
82
AU flagRuby Roseman Gannon
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+24:57
83
IE flagFiona Mangan
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+24:57
84
NL flagJeanne Korevaar
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+24:57
85
FR flagConstance Valentin
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+24:57
86
ES flagSara Martin Martin
MOVISTAR TEAM+24:57
87
AU flagMackenzie Coupland
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+24:57
88
FR flagNoemie Abgrall
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+24:57
89
FR flagEma Comte
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+24:57
90
NO flagMarte Berg Edseth
UNO-X MOBILITY+24:57
91
NL flagLoes Adegeest
LIDL - TREK+24:57
92
ES flagNaia Amondarain Gaztanaga
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+24:57
93
IT flagElena Cecchini
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+24:57
94
IT flagSilvia Persico
UAE Team L’IMAD+24:57
95
AT flagValentina Cavallar
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+24:57
96
NL flagLorena Wiebes
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+24:57
97
DE flagLinda Riedmann
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+24:57
98
NL flagYara Kastelijn
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+24:57
99
ES flagUsoa Ostolaza Zabala
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+24:57
100
GB flagJosie Nelson
Team Picnic PostNL+24:57
101
IT flagFrancesca Barale
MOVISTAR TEAM+24:57
102
GB flagPfeiffer Georgi
Team Picnic PostNL+24:57
103
UA flagYuliia Biriukova
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+28:21
104
IT flagArianna Fidanza
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+28:21
105
IT flagLetizia Borghesi
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+28:21
106
NL flagDaniek Hengeveld
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+28:21
107
ES flagIdoia Eraso Lasa
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+28:21
108
IT flagMonica Trinca Colonel
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+28:21
109
GB flagLene Robyn Clay
Team Picnic PostNL+28:21
110
IT flagBarbara Malcotti
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+28:21
111
BE flagLotte Claes
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+28:21
112
GB flagMillie Couzens
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+28:21
113
FR flagAlice Coutinho
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+28:21
114
DK flagAmalie Dideriksen
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+28:21
115
CZ flagNikola Noskova
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+28:21
116
PL flagMalwina Mul
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+28:21
117
CU flagArlenis Sierra Canadilla
MOVISTAR TEAM+30:08
118
NL flagAnouska Koster
UNO-X MOBILITY+30:08
119
US flagHeidi Franz
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+30:08
120
MX flagRomina Hinojosa Cruz
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+30:08
121
IE flagMia Griffin
Team Picnic PostNL+30:08
122
AU flagLucie Fityus
Team Picnic PostNL+30:08
123
NL flagMalou Eisen
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+30:08
124
CA flagKiara Lylyk
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+30:08
125
NL flagAnneke Dijkstra
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+30:08
126
NL flagMaud Rijnbeek
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+30:08
127
IT flagAlessia Vigilia
UNO-X MOBILITY+30:08
128
FR flagMarine Allione
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+30:08
129
ES flagAlicia Gonzalez Blanco
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+30:08
130
US flagCaroline Wreszin
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+30:08
131
NL flagCharlotte Kool
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+30:08
132
FR flagMorgane Coston
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+30:08
133
IT flagChiara Consonni
CANYON//SRAM+30:08
134
IT flagEleonora Ciabocco
Team Picnic PostNL+30:08
135
CA flagAlison Jackson
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+30:08

Vollering said she had become impatient during the more restrained opening stages and went into the team meeting before Stage 5 ready to force the issue.

“I’m just done, let’s just race,” she recalled saying. “Because like stage 2 and stage 3 was sometimes a bit boring,” she added.

“We could do how we planned today. I love this most, to just go full for it. Then no regrets afterwards. It’s why we love racing, just to try and go for wins.”

Her aggression was backed by a complete FDJ United-Suez performance, with every teammate contributing to the victory. Vollering’s fourth Tour stage win was her first with the French team.

Reusser takes yellow towards Mont Ventoux

Reusser was satisfied that she could follow Vollering and Niewiadoma-Phinney over the short, steep climbs, but she was critical of her sprint. Niewiadoma-Phinney attacked first, Vollering responded and Reusser briefly touched her brakes as the riders converged.

“My momentum was gone. I was asleep. I don't know what I did,” Reusser said. “I’m really annoyed with myself. I don’t say that I would have won, but I just did the opposite of winning.”

That mistake did not alter her position in yellow. Reusser said she had felt capable of such a performance before the stage, although she resisted treating it as evidence of how she will fare on Friday’s summit finish at Mont Ventoux.

Vollering was similarly cautious despite gaining substantial time on Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Team Visma | Lease a Bike Women), who finished 2:35 behind the leading group and is now almost five minutes off yellow. Vollering said Ventoux presents a longer and different effort, leaving room for the general classification to change.

“I would like to dream of yellow, of course, but we’re not there yet,” Vollering said. “I need to be focused and tackle every day as a one-day stage race.”

Before the Tour, Reusser rode Ventoux and felt strong gusts on its exposed upper slopes. Even though the descent scared her on deep-section rims, she said the longer climb might be a better fit for her than Stage 5’s repeated punchy ascents.

Stage 6 takes the peloton 153.4km from Montbrison to Tournon-sur-Rhône on Thursday. Reusser will start with 12 seconds to defend before the race reaches Mont Ventoux.

Peter

Peter Stuart

Editor

Peter is the editor of Velora and oversees Velora’s editorial strategy and content standards, bringing nearly 20 years of cycling journalism to the site. He was editor of Cyclingnews from 2022, introducing its digital membership strategy and expanding its content pillars. Before that he was digital editor at Cyclist, and then Rouleur. Before joining Cyclist in 2012, he completed freelance work for titles including The Times and The Telegraph. He has reported from Grand Tours and WorldTour races, and previously represented Great Britain as a rower.