Gigante makes big move as Chapman shows her fight
She crossed the line at the end of the fifth stage just behind AG Insurance-Soudal teammate Kimberley Le Court Pienaar, the Mauritian who thus became the first African to win a stage at the Tour de France Femmes.
It meant a big move up the general classification for Gigante, the 24-year-old Victorian who climbed from 19th at the start of the day to eighth place, 55 seconds behind Le Court.
Another Australian, Brodie Chapman, of UAE Team ADQ, was part of an early breakaway, and even hit the front at Côte du Peyroux before being caught before the last climb of the day
Chapman dropped back to finish 54th and and is 76th overall, 24:23 behind Le Court. But her efforts secured her the award for the most combative rider of the day.
The 29-year-old Le Court, who led the general classification after stage two but was overtaken by Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike), won a breakneck downhill push to the finish that included Gigante, edging out 2023 champion Demi Vollering.
"We came in with a clear plan, first to stay safe ... it was difficult because it was flat and fast, a lot of big crashes ... then try for the victory," Le Court said.
The fifth stage, the longest in the Tour this year, went through relatively flat terrain before three climbs in the final 35km and saw several failed breakaway attempts as the peloton covered 46.5km in the first hour despite multiple crashes.
Green jersey holder Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) recovered from a crash to rejoin the peloton, but struggled to keep up after the first climb, ultimately finishing 58th.
American Olympic champion Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly) abandoned the race after her third crash in three days. Maria Giulia Confalonieri, Elisa Balsamo and Monica Trinca Colonel also quit the race.
Vos, who stayed in the peloton behind a leading group for most of the race, attacked in the final 15km during the mountainous part of the stage, but fell behind during the final uphill push, dropping to sixth in the general classification.
Vollering (FDJ-Suez) rose to third overall, while Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Visma-Lease a Bike) moved up to second, sitting 18 seconds behind Le Court in the general classification.
The Tour continues on Thursday with a mountainous 123.7km ride from Clermont-Ferrand to Ambert.
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