Tour de France stage 5 preview: The first sprint chance has arrived

On paper, stage 5 looks like the first clear chance for the fast men. In reality, the route contains several testing sections that could complicate the chase and leave the pure sprinters under pressure before the expected finale in Pau.

Key information:

• Start: 14:15 (CET)
• Estimated Finish: 17:37 - 17:56 (CET)
• Stage type: flat
• Stage length: 157.99km
• Elevation gain: 1505m

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The opening phase is unusual, with a long false flat downhill section that should make for a very fast start. That speed could make it difficult for the peloton to control the early attacks, especially with many riders likely to see this as a rare opportunity.

After around 20 kilometres, the race moves into a hillier section. For the sprinters’ teams, this will be the first key moment of the day. Allowing a strong breakaway to go clear here could make the stage much harder to control later on.

A flatter stretch of roughly 26 kilometres follows, but the route soon becomes more rolling again. If the break has not yet formed, or if the gap remains manageable, this second hilly section could trigger another wave of attacks.

The next 40 kilometres are relatively calm, but the hardest part of the stage still comes inside the final 40 kilometres. Between 40km and 26km to go, the riders face the toughest sequence of climbs on the route.

• Lamayou: 1.3km at 5.5 percent
• Maure: 0.9km at 7.0 percent
• Côte de Baleix: 1.1km at 7.9 percent

This section could shape the stage. If a strong breakaway arrives here with a healthy advantage, the peloton may struggle to bring it back. If the race is still together, the sprinters’ teams will need to stay alert, as late attacks could come from riders looking to exploit the terrain.

The climbs are on wide roads, which should help the chasing teams keep control, but they are still hard enough to trouble the pure sprinters. Surviving the climbs is one thing. Having enough left to contest the sprint is another.

Once the Côte de Baleix is behind them, the run in to Pau becomes far more manageable. The finish itself is well suited to a bunch sprint, with a wide and straight final road that should give the leadout trains room to organise.

Key points

• Intermediate sprint - 44.8km to go
• Côte de Baleix | 3rd category - 1.1km at 7.9% - 25.8km to go

The profile gives the breakaway a real chance, particularly if a powerful group goes clear early and the sprinters’ teams hesitate. However, as this is the first realistic sprint opportunity of the race, there should be enough motivation in the peloton to keep the stage under control.

Even so, this is not a simple day for the fast men. The repeated hills, the likely heat and the aggressive racing could all take their toll before the finish. The strongest sprinters over rolling terrain may have the advantage.

When a sprint stage comes with climbing, fatigue and a demanding finale, Jasper Philipsen immediately stands out. The Alpecin-Premier Tech rider should have little trouble getting over the hills, and the tougher route may even work in his favour. With one of the strongest leadout trains in the race, he starts as one of the leading contenders.

Olav Kooij is another rider who should welcome a more selective sprint. The Decathlon CMA CGM sprinter endured a difficult start to the season because of illness, but recent performances at the Boucles de la Mayenne and the Baloise Belgium Tour suggested he is back to form. A first Tour de France stage victory would be a major statement.

Biniam Girmay also arrives with momentum. The NSN rider showed at the Baloise Belgium Tour that his speed has returned, and he has already proved he can handle harder sprint stages. After winning three Tour stages in 2024 and none in 2025, this could be an important opportunity to reassert himself.

Tim Merlier is arguably the fastest pure sprinter in the peloton, but this may not be the ideal stage for him. The combination of heat, rolling roads and late climbs could make the finale more difficult. Still, if he survives in good condition, Soudal Quick-Step will have one of the fastest finishers in the race.

Mads Pedersen is a major threat on a stage like this. The Lidl-Trek rider has struggled with the heat earlier in his career, but he appears to have found ways to manage those conditions as he proved with his win on stage 4. The harder the stage becomes, the better his chances may be. He could even look to follow early moves before turning his attention to the sprint if the race comes back together.

For the breakaway, Jonas Abrahamsen is one of the obvious danger men. The Uno-X Mobility rider has the engine and aggression to make life uncomfortable for the sprinters’ teams, especially if he finds himself in a strong group.

A rider who could approach the stage in a similar way to Pedersen is Michael Matthews. The Jayco AlUla rider may try to make the breakaway, but he also has the speed to contest a reduced sprint if the race comes back together. His chances may depend on how the team balances its options with Pascal Ackermann.

After a heavy crash in Dunkerque left him with a badly injured knee, Pavel Bittner will be relieved simply to be at the Tour. The Picnic PostNL rider has the kind of profile that suits this stage, combining a fast finish with the ability to handle shorter climbs.

For Søren Wærenskjold, this also looks like a major opportunity. The Uno-X Mobility rider showed strong form at the start of last year’s Tour before being forced to abandon after a crash. This year, he will be eager to show what he can do on this kind of terrain.

Another rider capable of disrupting the sprinters’ plans is Kasper Asgreen. The EF Education-EasyPost rider has the power to make a breakaway dangerous, especially if he links up with other aggressive riders such as Abrahamsen.

Other riders to watch in a sprint include Max Kanter of XDS Astana, Milan Fretin of Cofidis and Rick Pluimers of Tudor. For the breakaway, Magnus Cort of Uno-X Mobility and Matej Mohorič of Bahrain Victorious are also names to keep an eye on.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  Philipsen

⭐⭐⭐⭐  Kooij, Girmay

⭐⭐⭐  Merlier, Pedersen, Abrahamsen

⭐⭐  Matthews, Bittner, Waerenskjold, Asgreen

⭐  Kanter, Fretin, Pluimers, Cort, Mohoric