Tour de France Femmes: Reusser Wins Stage 4 Time Trial, Takes 2026

The Tour de France Femmes stage 4 time trial saw Marlen Reusser storm to victory and claim the yellow jersey. The reigning world time trial champion dominated the 21km course from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon, finishing in 27min 30sec and taking a 14-second lead over Demi Vollering in the general classification.

Reusser's Dominant Time Trial Performance

Reusser, riding for Movistar, delivered a flawless ride on a technical course that suited her powerful style. She beat former champion Demi Vollering by 14 seconds, with Cedrine Kerbaol finishing third overall. The Swiss rider's victory was no surprise, as she had targeted this Tour de France as her main goal of the season.

“I’m super, super happy. This was kind of the idea that we had since a long time. It’s the first Tour of France that I really saw as my goal of the year that I really targeted,” Reusser said after the stage. Her confidence and preparation paid off, as she now leads the race with a significant advantage.

GC Standings After Stage 4

The general classification has been shaken up after the time trial. Reusser leads with a 14-second margin over Vollering, while Kerbaol sits third at 54 seconds. The top 10 is packed with strong contenders, including Kasia Niewiadoma, who rode an impressive time trial to move up.

Niewiadoma's Strong Ride and Optimism

Katarzyna Niewiadoma, the 2024 winner, rode a fine time trial and expressed delight with her performance. “I haven’t seen the results yet. I felt that I found my flow. I definitely spent a huge amount of time working on my skills because as everyone knew, I was in the best at it,” she said. Her goal was to minimize losses, and she succeeded, moving up to sixth overall.

Niewiadoma's improvement in time trialing is a testament to her dedication. She added, “As you can see, if you believe in something and you put good amount of work, anything is possible.” Her climbing abilities will be crucial in the mountain stages ahead.

Key Takeaways from Stage 4

• Reusser wins her first Tour de France stage and takes yellow.
• Vollering remains a strong contender, only 14 seconds behind.
• Kerbaol's consistent riding puts her in contention.
• Haugset loses yellow after a tough time trial, dropping to fourth.
• Niewiadoma shows improved time trial skills, setting up a thrilling battle in the mountains.

What's Next for the Tour de France Femmes?

The race now heads into the challenging mountain stages, where climbers like Niewiadoma and Vollering will look to gain time. Reusser will need to defend her lead on the climbs, but her time trial advantage gives her a buffer. The next stage promises excitement as the GC battle intensifies.

Stay tuned for more updates and analysis as the Tour de France Femmes continues. Will Reusser hold onto yellow, or will a climber dethrone her? The coming days will tell.

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