As it happened: Norsgaard wins Tour de France Femmes stage 6 from breakaway

Tour de France Femmes stage 6 preview
Tour de France Femmes stage 5 result
Tour de France Femmes route
Tour de France Femmes favourites

Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of stage 6 of the Tour de France Femmes!

Today's stage presents the final opportunity for the sprinters on a relatively flat 122.1km route starting in Albi and finishing in Blagnac.

The riders are competing sign-ons and the team presentation ahead of the neutralised roll out of Albi at 14:20 CEST.

It should be a very important day for DSM-Firmenich, as with Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx) out of the race, their sprinter Charlotte Kool will be the huge favourite if it comes down to a bunch finish.

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Kool replied with a simple "yes it is" on stage when asked if the stage was going to be her's.

One of the other big favourites for stage 6 is the legend herself, Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma). Vos looked strong in the only bunch sprint we've had in this Tour de France, losing out only to Wiebes. She'll be confident she can get a third Tour stage victory today and looked very relaxed ahead of the start.

Some news from this morning as the SD Worx drama that saw Demi Vollering get a time penalty has also resulted in the expulsion of DS Danny Stam following his comments on the incident after the stage.

SD Worx manager Stam excluded from Tour de France Femmes for dangerous driving

Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) has gone all out with her return into the polka-dot jersey in the skin suit with red shorts. There are four categorised climbs along the 122.1km route today which provide eight QOM points than Kastelijn will desperately want ahead of tomorrow's queen stage.

It's the fifth day in yellow for Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) and she should be the sprint option for them today or maybe a later attacker and she's back in the full yellow skin suit today. The Dutch super-team is under a lot of pressure after their questionable tactics have stole a lot of the conversations around the first five stages of this Tour, so they'll want a drama-free day on stage 6.

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We're just under 10 minutes away from the start in Albi now.

Here's a final look at the parcours ahead of the start. Four categorised climbs along the way, but nowhere near as difficult to the last two stages we've had. Sprinters should make the final and fight it out in a big bunch finish, but will a break be spurred on by two solo winners in two days?

Stage 6 of the 2023 Tour de France Femmes is underway! We'll of course have a neutralised section of riding before the flag is dropped and racing proper gets started at 14:30 CEST.

Kopecky ahead of the start still in the yellow jersey. She maintains a lead of 49 seconds over Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal QuickStep) in second.

122.1KM TO GO

Flag dropped and racing in underway. 137 riders started the stage today after six more abandoned prior to, and during yesterday's stage, but there were no more DNSs this morning.

Lots of riders trying to get into the break after there has been an unusual amount of success for moves at this year's Tour de France Femmes.

Solo leader in front of the bunch: April Tacey (Lifeplus Wahoo). She's got 15 seconds on the peloton.

Tacey is extending her lead to 30 seconds out in front. The peloton is heading east today towards Blagnac which is just to the northwest of Toulouse.

110KM TO GO

Rachel Neylan (Cofidis) joins Tacey at the head of the race.

The duo's advantage has been reduced to just 10 seconds.

All back together, duo in front caught just before they pass through Noailles.

100KM TO GO

Still all together after 22kms of racing. First categorised climb will start in 8km, which could be the place for a break to form.

A small group managed to nip off the front containing Kopecky, but it was of course brought back by a small reaction in the bunch.

Here's Kastelijn back in the polka-dot jersey.

Another duo of riders have got off the front, Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka (Canyon SRAM) and Sandra Alonso (Ceratizit-WNT). They've got 20 seconds of an advantage for now.

Riders are on the first climb, the Côte de la Cadène (2.5km at 4.5%).

90KM TO GO

Skalniak-Sójka has dropped Alonso, Emma Norsgaard (Movistar) counter attacks in the bunch behind.

The QOM points were mopped up by Skalniak-Sójka and Alonso, but neither are a threat to Kastelijn's lead.

Skalniak-Sójka has a 35 second advantage over Alonso who you can see struggling to hold her wheel. The Spanish rider has got Norsgaard for company though.

No surprise to see DSM-Firmenich committing to the chase in the peloton behind. Gap to the lone leader is 2:35.

80KM TO GO

DSM are keeping the gap stable at this point to just over the two-minute mark. They won't want to let any move get out of control as today is the final chance for their headline sprinter, Kool, to fight for victory.

Beautiful scenery on today's 122km route through Southern France.

Small swell at the back of the peloton, but thankfully no one went down. Kastelijn was slightly held back and forced onto the grass, but managed to keep it up. No surprise given how strong a cyclocross rider she is.

Norsgaard and Alonso are closing the gap on Skalniak-Sójka which they've reduced by 20 seconds in the most recent 10km.

Catch made at the head of the race, making it a trio now 1:59 ahead of the peloton.

70KM TO GO

Lotta Henttala (AG Insurance-Soudal QuickStep) is unfortunately struggling at the back of the peloton on this second categorised climb.

She was one of the nine riders given a reprieve after finishing over the time limit yesterday after they had to stop for a train to cross. 

The riders now have a fast descent incoming which leads into the third categorised climb of the day, the Côte du Clos Pourtié. Skalniak-Sójka crossed the QOM of the last climb in first ahead of Alonso, but again they are no threat to Kastelijn's lead.

Here's Norsgaard and Alonso bridging across to the lone leader.

Attack from Loes Adegeest (FDJ-SUEZ) in the peloton. This has caused some splits in the bunch on the climb.

Accelerations in the bunch have reduced the break's lead to 1:33 as Amanda Spratt (Lidl-Trek) has a go. Marlen Reusser (SD Worx) is marking her and it's all kicking off again at the Tour de France Femmes.

Lizzie Deignan (Lidl-Trek) re-attacks at the front which is putting some riders at the back of the peloton in difficulty including early attacker, Tacey.

64KM TO GO

Deignan attacks again which is forcing Kopecky to come to the front herself and pull it back together.

Henttala has reportedly been disqualified from the race for holding onto a team car, will follow up with more information when it comes.

Next to go is Jade Wiel (FDJ-SUEZ) as the teams without a sprinter start to chance their hand to get away from the peloton.

Kool was dropped out the back on that climb and has one teammate with her to try and get her back into contention.

60KM TO GO

Grace Brown (FDJ-SUEZ) goes! FDJ are trying everything to get something out of this Tour after it hasn't quite gone their way throughout the first five stages. This is no easy stage.

Things calm momentarily in the peloton, but the break's advantage has been significantly reduced to just 45 seconds.

The gap to the Kool group is 24 seconds to the peloton. It's by no means insurmountable, but they will want to close it sooner rather than later and before the next categorised climb.

A few riders have crashed out the side of the peloton and into a ditch, Kastelijn was involved along with one of her teammates and an EF Education-TIBCO-SVB rider.

Hammes and Van de Veld were two of the other riders to go down, but they are all back on their bikes and going back to the peloton.

Unfortunately Veronica Ewers (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) was the first to crash and she went down very hard. She's still sat in the ditch for now and not back on her bike.

Here's Kastelijn getting a new bike and you can see the ditch Ewers sadly crashed into.

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50KM TO GO

The group containing Kool aren't making up the ground yet and are now 37 seconds behind the peloton.

Ewers leaved the Tour de France Femmes, gutting news for the American GC talent.

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Following that incident, the pace lulled in the bunch and Kool has made it back in. Kastelijn also safely returned and averted any crisis with the help of Van de Velde.

Scratch the news on Ewers, she's actually managed to somehow get back on her bike. Reportedly the doctors had thought she broke her collarbone and there was an ambulance ready, but she's soldiered on at the back of the race.

Strung out peloton on stage 6.

The breakaway trio's advantage has been restored after that lull in pace to 1:45.

40KM TO GO

We're on the final categorised climb of the day, the Côte de la Gayre (1km at 4.9%). The breakaway have crested the top with a two minute lead.

DSM-Firmenich are retaking control at the head of the peloton with Kool back in the bunch. She'll be the favourite for the bunch finish.

Neylan attacks over the crest of the climb after being in one of the earliest moves today, but with no success.

An upping of the pace on this descent section has reduced the breakaway's lead to 1:38. They're passing through narrow roads in the small town, Villebrumier, and the peloton will have to be careful when they pass the point the break just have.

35KM TO GO

DSM are on the front with Curinier and Georgi in a very lined out peloton. Kool isn't directly on their wheels.

Brown attacks again out of the peloton. Not the first time for FDJ-SUEZ who have been trying all day to get out of the peloton.

30KM TO GO

The break is approaching the intermediate sprint point.

Alonso takes the points and cash prize at the IS point, as UAE ADQ start to help the chase behind for their sprinter, Chiara Consonni.

Kopecky moves up in the peloton to gain as many green jersey points as possible, only Moolman follows her.

Hand up for Van Vleuten. She's staying at the back of the peloton for as long as possible, but it looks as if she needs a new bike/wheel.

It's actually a radio issue for the World Champion. She's having it changed at the back of the bunch now.

25KM TO GO

New time gap of 1:10 for the trio out in front.

Can another breakaway make it all the way to the line?

Jumbo-Vimsa are now full involved in this chase behind with Coryn Labecki keeping the pace up for Vos. Baril and Holden are the riders working for UAE ADQ.

Crash at the back of the peloton. Adegeest is the worst affected and is not yet back on her bike. Everyone else involved has got moving again.

20KM TO GO

The pace is heating up in the bunch with Jumbo-Visma pulling hard. Gap at 1:05 on this small descent.

Gaps are forming at the back of the peloton. Ella Wyllie (Lifeplus Wahoo) is in a split and won't want to lose any time here as she is well in the run for the white jersey competition. She's closed the gap on her own as I typed that with Tacey now dropping to help her.

We're into a series of roundabouts now.

An earlier look at Susanne Andersen (Uno-X) being comforted by two of her teammates.

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15KM TO GO

The gap is now under a minute as the sprinters' teams look for their final opportunity on the run into Blagnac.

It's still looking quite good for the break as of now with a 59-second advantage stabilising.

A reminder of the three riders in the breakaway: Emma Norsgaard (Movistar), Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka (Canyon-SRAM) and Sandra Alonso (Ceratizit-WNT).

10KM TO GO

Jumbo-Visma are burning most of their team and Lidl-Trek have now got involved with Hanson which must be for Balsamo.

These next few kilometres are on a very straight piece of road which may give the peloton the best chance to catch the break. The lead for the trio is melting away.

Our three leaders appear to be running out of steam under the pressure of the big bunch behind. Gap down to 24 seconds.

SD Worx have done none of the work today, so perhaps looks out for a late attack from Reusser, or a massive leadout for Kopecky from the Swiss Champion at the last moment.

5KM TO GO

There's a couple of roundabouts which will work for the three breakaway riders, but their advantage is very slim now. Norsgaard still looks good in comparison to her two companions who appear tired.

Jumbo-Visma are giving everything to catch the break for Vos. She was second in the first bunch sprint behind Wiebes who, of course, isn't at the race anymore which will make Vos very confident.

Norsgaard attacks which drops Alonso. Skalniak-Sójka latches onto her wheel and it's two riders at the front now.

3KM TO GO

The two in front have 17 seconds, it's going to be another nail-biting finish.

Deignan hits the front for Lidl-Trek. Who is going to have the best leadout if it comes to a sprint?

Norsgaard is still chugging away at the front and showing her time trial skills. Skalniak-Sójka takes a pull as Alonso is swept up by the bunch.

Kopecky is right towards the front of the peloton for now behind the Jumbo-Visma train.

1KM TO GO

Flamme rouge comes for our two leaders, can they hold on?

They've got under 10 seconds as they come into the final straight.

Massive crash in the peloton behind in the final kink in the road before the finale.

Henderson has got away from the peloton behind as the peloton is in tatters behind.

Norsgaard kicks for the line!

STAGE FINISH

Emma Norsgaard (Movistar) wins stage 6 of the Tour de France Femmes!

What a finale, what a stage and what an effort by the Danish rider who holds on in the final few hundred metres for the biggest win of her career. Kool won the sprint behind with Kopecky in third.

Norsgaard shares a lovely moment with Movistar's other stage winner in their year's Tour, Liane Lippert. She bridged to Skalniak-Sójka after the first categorised climb of the day with Alonso and what a move it was to get in.

Here's the moment Norsgaard would've dreamt of, winning a stage at the Tour de France.

Here's what Movistar team leader Van Vleuten had to say about Norsgaard's incredible victory:

"It's like, wow. They really had the opportunity to go for the break and I know riding with me in the team is not always easy because they sometimes don't always get opportunities so, I feel also sometimes a bit guilty that they have to sacrifice their own ambitions and then today they got the opportunity."

"Today was for Aude Biannic and Emma Norsgaard, they could attack and go for the break. She [Norsgaard] did and she finished it off so, wow. That gives me goosebumps and this whole Tour is for us already a success and she deserves it. She had some setbacks, she broke things, so she really needed this one."

"I think you saw her tears. It's always more beautiful, I know from experience when you come back from a setback and then you win, so this will be extra special for her and in the Tour like wow, what a comeback."

Here's what Norsgaard had to say after the biggest win of her career:

"I'm lost for words, it's been really a difficult start of the year. I want to thank everyone around me - my family, my husband, my team for still believing in me after being out the whole spring. I'm super emotional - it's the biggest victory ever, I'm so happy.

"I'm not a sprinter anymore, I have to realize it. I might be fast but I can't keep up with the real sprinters so I took a chance today and reached for the stars - and here we are.

"It's amazing. I'm so happy - I was even emotional when Liane [Lippert] won and now me - it's been super amazing, I love this team."

A despondent Kool reacted to her second-place with huge disappointment:

"I think this is actually a nightmare, winning the sprint so close from the breakaway is an absolute nightmare.

"I think the chase was pretty good, a lot of teams helped, but the rider in front was really strong today.

"Yeah, Pfeiffer [Georgi] did amazing in positioning and this time I had everything under control, but yeah it doesn't matter it's second so yeah, a nightmare."

This was the final chance for the sprinters teams and has meant Kool's Tour de France will end without any sprint success. She'll certainly be back though.

There was a possibility of GC drama as that crash in the final corner held up Moolman, Longo Borghini, Kastelijn and Niewiadoma. Van Vleuten had also rolled over the line not in the lead group so it seemed Vollering had gained back time, but the jury reviewed the situation and eventually gave all the riders effected in the final 3km the same time.

Kopecky still leads, but now by 53 seconds from Moolman thanks to her four bonus seconds gained for finishing third. Van Vleuten, Longo Borghini and Niewiadoma all sit equal third on 55 seconds with Kastelijn a further nine seconds back on 1:04 and Vollering on 1:07.

Full results from another brilliant stage at the 2023 Tour de France Femmes via FirstCycling.

Kopecky banged the bars in frustration as she crossed the line in third today, but it wasn't all bad as she confirmed a sixth day in yellow tomorrow and confirmed her win the green jersey competition as long as she makes it to the finish in Pau on Sunday.

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Here's the full story on Henttala's DSQ, and she's joined in leaving the race by Marie-Morgane Le Deunff (Arkéa) who finished outside the time limit.

Despite Ewers' hard crash, she was able to finish the stage 9:56 down on Norsgaard with the help of teammate Magdeleine Vallieres who dropped back for her.

Make sure you read Laura Weislo's full race report which summarises another great day of racing at the Tour de France Femmes alongside a gallery of the stage's action.

Tour de France Femmes: Emma Norsgaard holds off favourites in sprint for stage 6 victory

The emotions flooded out for Norsgaard as she embraced her teammates and reflected on that wonderful stage 6 victory from the breakaway, holding the chasing sprinters off with one second to spare.

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Tomorrow's stage is the big one. The queen stage that everyone has been waiting for in anticipation ever since the route for the 2023 Tour de France Femmes was announced. Finally we will see the women's pro peloton tackle the mythical climb that is the Col du Tourmalet. It's the most used climb in the history of the men's Tour de France and has often been the arena for some of cycling's most famous battles.

Stage 7 is primed and ready for the duel between the two pre-race favourites, Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) and Demi Vollering (SD Worx), to properly begin. They're separated by just 12 seconds on GC and were the top two in last year's Tour. Van Vleuten was far superior on that occasion, but in the twelve months since then, Vollering has only closed that gap more and more as the World Champion approaches the end of her illustrious career.

Who will come out on top between the two Dutch superstars? Or will someone else surprise and put their name in the hat of best GC rider in the world? We'll find out tomorrow.

That wraps things up for Cyclingnews' live coverage of stage 6 of the Tour de France Femmes which was won in exciting fashion by Emma Norsgaard (Movistar). Check back tomorrow for live coverage of the queen stage 7 and in the meantime look out for all the news and great content coming out of the race from our team on the ground in France.