The short version
- Marlen Reusser won the 21-kilometer individual time trial to take the overall lead in the Tour de France Femmes.
- Previous leader Sigrid Haugset fell to fourth place after finishing more than three minutes behind the stage winner.
- Former champion Demi Vollering remains in contention but trails Reusser by 14 seconds in the general classification.
Marlen Reusser has seized control of the Tour de France Femmes, capturing the yellow jersey after a decisive performance in the fourth stage. The 34-year-old Swiss rider completed the 21-kilometer individual time trial from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon in 27 minutes and 30 seconds, marking her first overall lead in the prestigious race. Her victory not only secured the stage win but also fundamentally altered the hierarchy of the general classification, pushing previous contenders further back in the standings.
The time trial served as a critical pivot point for the race dynamics. Reusser’s effort was precise and powerful, allowing her to establish a 14-second advantage over Demi Vollering, the former champion who finished third on the day. Vollering, riding for FDJ United-Suez, made a frantic push in the final kilometer but could not close the gap, finishing 18 seconds behind Reusser’s time. This result places Vollering second in the overall standings, maintaining her position as a primary threat to Reusser’s newfound leadership.
Lieke Nooijen of the Netherlands posed the most immediate challenge during the trial. The Visma-Lease a Bike rider posted a formidable time of 27 minutes and 34 seconds, just four seconds slower than Reusser. Despite this strong showing, Nooijen finished second on the stage but did not gain enough ground to overtake Vollering in the general classification. The narrow margin between Reusser and Nooijen highlighted the competitive depth at the front of the peloton, with only fractions of a second separating the top performers.
The most significant shift occurred for Sigrid Haugset, the Norwegian rider who had worn the yellow jersey following a spectacular solo victory on Monday. Haugset struggled to maintain her momentum in the time trial, finishing more than three minutes behind Reusser. This substantial time loss caused her to drop from first to fourth place in the overall rankings. Her performance suggested lingering fatigue from her previous day’s effort, as she failed to capitalize on the two-minute cushion she had built into the general classification.
Other notable riders also saw their positions adjust following the stage. Cédrine Kerbaol of France finished fifth in the time trial, 54 seconds behind Reusser, which propelled her into third place overall, ahead of Haugset. Elisa Longo Borghini and Katarzyna Niewiadoma remained in the top ten but faced increasing pressure as the gaps widened. The defending champion, Pauline Ferrand-Prévost, also encountered difficulties, losing over two minutes to Reusser and falling further behind in the standings.
Reusser attributed her success to careful planning and targeted preparation. She revealed that she and her Movistar team had identified this specific stage as a key opportunity long before the race began. The strategy, internally referred to as 'Project Dijon,' focused on leveraging her strengths as a time trial world champion to secure the yellow jersey. Reusser expressed deep satisfaction with the outcome, noting that this was the first Tour de France she had genuinely viewed as a primary goal for the year.
The conditions during the stage added another layer of complexity. Riders competed in temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius in eastern France, which likely impacted performance levels across the board. The heat may have contributed to the struggles faced by Haugset and Ferrand-Prévost, while Reusser’s ability to execute her plan under such conditions underscored her tactical discipline. The physical demands of the trial were evident in the spread of times among the top contenders.
Looking ahead, the race continues with a 140-kilometer hilly stage from Mâcon to Belleville-en-Beaujolais on Wednesday. This terrain will test the climbers and all-rounders, potentially offering opportunities for riders like Haugset or Vollering to challenge Reusser’s lead. However, the 14-second buffer Reusser now holds provides a significant advantage, requiring her rivals to make substantial gains in the upcoming stages to reclaim the yellow jersey.
The shift in leadership marks a new chapter in the Tour de France Femmes narrative. Reusser’s victory demonstrates the importance of specialized skills in modern cycling, where time trials can decide overall outcomes. As the race progresses, the focus will remain on whether Reusser can defend her lead against attacks on the climbs or if the peloton will find ways to close the gap. The coming days will reveal the resilience of the current leader and the adaptability of her competitors.
For now, Reusser stands at the summit of the general classification, having executed a well-timed strategy that capitalized on her strengths. Her performance has set a high bar for the remaining stages, forcing other teams to reassess their tactics. The Tour de France Femmes continues to showcase the depth and competitiveness of women’s professional cycling, with every stage bringing new challenges and opportunities for change.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- BBC Sport↗Reusser takes Tour lead with time trial win
- The Guardian US↗Tour de France Femmes: Reusser aces stage four time trial to snatch yellow jersey
