Defending champion Demi Vollering has lost the lead of the Tour de France Femmes after losing time in a crash that Katarzyna Niewiadoma took advantage of.

A small consolation for the SD Worx–Protime team was the sprint of Blanka Vas, who won 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 was visibly in pain as she fought to the finish line to limit the damage in the overall standings.

The peloton was chasing a group of three riders when the accident occurred in a sharp bend. Pole Niewiadoma, who had started the day third in the general classification and 34 seconds behind Vollering, took full advantage of the accident to take the yellow jersey.

There was a battle for the stage win between Vas and Niewiadoma, and the Hungarian took a narrow victory while German Liane Lippert came third.

“It’s crazy, I still can’t believe it. I don’t know what to say. I didn’t expect this today because I felt so bad during the race,” said Vas, who finished fourth in the Olympic road race after losing in the sprint.

“My radio wasn’t working, so I didn’t know what was happening behind. But Demi crashed. I think we lost the yellow. That’s a shame and I have mixed feelings now.”

Canyon-SRAM Racing’s Niewiadoma finished third overall in the last two years.

“Today’s stage was very chaotic in general,” she said. “I feel like all the stages so far have been very hectic and dangerous, so we knew we just had to stay at the front.”

The Pole has a lead of 19 seconds over Olympic gold medalist Kristen Faulkner, who finished fourth in the 152.5-kilometer stage from Bastogne to Amneville.

Due to Vollering’s bad luck, she falls back to ninth place overall and has to make up a deficit of one minute and 19 seconds.

Sarah Gigante is the best-placed Australian, finishing in 23rd place, 2.48 seconds behind Niewiadoma. She was also the best Australian to complete the stage, finishing 30th, 35 seconds behind Vas.

Friday’s sixth stage is a hilly 159.2km ride from Remiremont to Morteau.