Defending champion Demi Vollering has lost the lead of the Tour de France Femmes after losing time in a crash with Katarzyna Niewiadoma taking advantage.
Some consolation for the SD Worx–Protime team came when Blanka Vas sprinted to win the stage, the fifth of eight in the race.
Vollering was one of several riders involved in a crash six kilometres from the finish and the Dutchwoman looked in pain as she battled to the line to limit the damage done in the general classification.
The peloton was chasing down a group of three riders when the incident happened on a sharp bend and Poland’s Niewiadoma, who began the day third overall and 34 seconds off Vollering, made the most of the crash to take the yellow jersey.
It came down to a battle between Vas and Niewiadoma for the stage win and it was the Hungarian who claimed a narrow victory, with Germany’s Liane Lippert coming in third.
“It’s crazy, I still can’t believe it. I don’t know what to say; I did not expect this today because I felt so bad during the race,” Vas, who came fourth in the Olympic road race after losing out in the sprint, said.
“My radio was not working so I did not know what happened at the back but Demi crashed so I think we lost the yellow so it’s a shame and now I have mixed feelings.”
Niewiadoma, of Canyon-SRAM Racing, has finished overall third the previous two years.
“Today’s stage was very chaotic in general,” she said. “I feel like all the stages so far were very hectic and dangerous, so we knew that we just had to stay in the front.”
The Pole has a 19-second lead over Olympic gold medallist Kristen Faulkner, who finished fourth on the stage, a 152.5-kilometre ride from Bastogne to Amneville.
Vollering’s misfortune drops her to ninth overall with a gap of one minute 19 seconds to make up.
Sarah Gigante is the best-placed Australian, being 23rd, 2.48 behind Niewiadoma. She was also the highest Australian finisher in the stage, coming 30th, 35 seconds down on Vas.
Friday’s stage six is a hilly, 159.2-km ride from Remiremont to Morteau.