Team SD Walks was once again in the spotlight, for better or worse, on stage 5 of the Tour de France at Zwift Femmes.

Team leader Demi Vollering received a 20-second time penalty for drafting behind a team car in part of the race formation after a puncture. The team lost sprinter Lorena Wiebes to illness before the stage, and Marlen Reusser chased behind Ricarda Bauernfind (Canyon-SRAM).

The only positive of the day was that Lotte Kopecky defended the yellow jersey, but she struggled to see the positive side of the stage.

"It's not good to start the day losing Lorena. But I think it's kind of bullshit that Demi got 20 seconds for this reason," Kopecky said bluntly.

"If he was dropped, no one would have put him back in. But if there was mechanical trouble, and that happens all the time, it's ridiculous that she got 20 seconds," Kopecky insisted, repeating the words of Danny Stamm, who unsuccessfully protested the judges' decision.

The time penalty was widely anticipated throughout the stage as the race commissaire pointed angrily at the SD Works team car. Kopecký was by far the strongest sprinter in the lead group, and it looked as if something might be salvaged in the last few kilometers. However, everyone knew that Kopecký would win the sprint, and this strategy fell apart when it became clear that SD Works would not be able to get help in the chase. Ricarda Bauernfind (Canyon-SRAM Racing) won alone, finishing just ahead of the peloton after Marlen Reusser (Team SD Works) and Liane Lippert (Movistar) tried to chase Bauernfind.

"If I wasn't in this group, I'm sure other teams would have tried to close the gap," Kopecky admitted.

In a way, the SD Worx stars were at a disadvantage on this stage. The team fully supports Vollering's GC contenders, and the team may not have the players to support Kopecky, Wiebes, and Reusser's day-to-day ambitions.

"I think we missed our chance. But I can't ask Demi to ride it to the end," Kopecky said.

"As I've said since day one, the GC is the most important, so it's crucial not to waste too much energy that we might need later. I'm sure I missed some opportunities, but that's why. Besides, it's nice that the women who were trying to get into the break get a reward."

Before the race, many expected stage 5 to be a likely group sprint finish, but the previous day's very long stage, sweltering temperatures, and challenging climbs all combined to make it a much more difficult stage than it looked on paper.

"We knew the start would be pretty hard. But I knew that after the first 20 km the race would settle down a bit. I think a lot of people underestimated this stage, and in fact I did too. I thought there was a possibility of a group sprint, but on this course there was no chance," Kopecky said.

Kopecký, who wore the leader's jersey from stage 1, had to take on extra responsibilities this week, including interviews and press conferences. But unlike some GC contenders who try to cut down on this extra work and focus on winning the overall, the 27-year-old Belgian enjoys being in the limelight.

"It's like a dream come true. If you had told me this before I joined this Tour, I would never have believed it. I'm going to enjoy every moment," Yellow Jersey said.