Tour de France Femmes 2026: stage six, Montbrison to Tournon-sur-Rhône – live

Key events

144km to go: If you are somewhere on the race route, waiting to cheer on the riders, send me an email and a photo.

If you are not somewhere on the race route, waiting to cheer on the riders, send me an email.

145km to go: Today’s first climb is the Côte de Périgneux, a cheeky little 1.4km affair, category-four, average gradient 6.2%.

Note: It’s obviously not cheeky in any way.

Barbara Malcotti (Human Powered Health) and Monica Trinca Colonel (Liv-Alula-Jayco) are withdrawals as of stage six. Meaning 134 riders started today.

The official withdrawals page can be found here.

Racing on stage six

Neutralised rollout complete, flag waved, and they’re off.

Sadly there is AFL on my telly (nothing against AFL) – but live coverage on TNT Sports begins at 2.30pm UK time, AKA BST.

Stage five was a doozy. Don’t miss Jeremy Whittle’s report:

Preamble

Mont Ventoux looms ever closer – one of the hardest climbs in cycling will be tackled by the peloton on Friday – but today’s 153km trip from Montbrison to Tournon-sur-Rhône is much more than a transitional stage en route to the Giant of Provence.

Six categorised climbs await – 2,600m of vertical ascent – as the race winds its way through some stunning (if parched and wildfire-threatened) French countryside, finishing on the banks of the Rhône river in the Ardéche department.

Yesterday’s stage, when the trio of Demi Vollering, Marlen Reusser and Kasia Niewiadoma struck out together to fight for victory, was a draining, enthralling affair and especially challenging straight after Tuesday’s individual time trial. It would be little surprise if a suitably-constituted breakaway is allowed up the road today, allowing the GC riders a bit of respite before the gruelling test of tomorrow.

This being the Tour de France Femmes, though, confident predictions are a fool’s game. Whatever happens it will be fun.

Neutralised start: 13.35 CET/12.35 BST