Grace Brown, Elisa Longo Borghini or Kasia Niewiadoma: this year’s Women’s Tour champion will be crowned in the heart of historic Oxford on Saturday.

Never before in race history have three riders been separated by such a small margin – two seconds – going into the final stage.

Should Brown (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) or Longo Borghini (Trek – Segafredo) triumph, they will add their name to the Women’s Tour’s prestigious roll of honour, becoming the first riders from their respective countries – Australia and Italy – to win the race. Victory for Niewiadoma would see her become the second two-time champion after Lizzie Deignan.

A maximum of 16 bonus seconds – three apiece at the Pillar sprints in Carterton and Burcot – plus 10 at the finish are available on stage six. Should riders be tied on time after the stage, GC positions will be decided by the cumulative stage placings across the whole race.

There’s also the small matter of the stage win on the world-famous St Giles’, too. Will Lorena Wiebes claim her third victory of this year’s race, or will she be denied by the likes of Barbara Guarischi (Movistar Team) or Shari Bossuyt (Canyon//SRAM Racing), who placed behind her in Harlow on stage two?

Neither Chipping Norton, the county’s highest town, or Oxford have hosted a stage start or finish of the Women’s Tour to date, although the world’s best riders did pass through the historic city’s eastern side during last year’s stage from Bicester to Banbury.

Stage map and profile

Total elevation: 1,300m

Timetable and key spectator information

High Street, Chipping Norton – 11am

B4026 – 11:15am

Butcher’s Hill (cat 3) – 11:47am

The Hill Burford (cat 3) – 12:27pm

Carterton – 12:35pm

Burcot – 2:26pm

St Giles’, Oxford – 3pm

Click here for the full stage timetable

Click here for our Chipping Norton spectator guide | Click here for our Oxford spectator guide

TV schedule

Live coverage of stage six will be available on Eurosport Player and GCN + from 10:55am.

Highlights of stage six will be shown on ITV4 at 8pm (then available on the ITV Hub for 30 days) and worldwide on Eurosport Player and GCN + from Sunday morning.

Leaders’ jerseys

The following riders will wear these leaders’ jerseys during stage six.

 Leaders’ jersey Grace Brown (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope)

 Breast Cancer Now points jersey Lorena Wiebes (Team DSM)

 SKODA Queen of the Mountains jersey Elise Chabbey (Canyon//SRAM Racing)

 Pillar sprints jersey Maike van der Duin (Le Col – Wahoo)