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

Marlen Reusser, the world time-trial champion, won the fourth stage of the Tour de France Femmes and seized the yellow jersey, delivering a commanding performance that reshaped the general classification.

The 34-year-old Swiss rider powered through the 22.4km course from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon, clocking the fastest time and building a lead that now puts her in prime position for overall victory.

Reusser's Decisive Time Trial Victory

Reusser, a specialist against the clock, finished the stage with a time that stunned her rivals. She now leads the pre-race favourite Demi Vollering by 14 seconds, while 2024 Tour winner Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney sits 1 minute 9 seconds further back in third.

“It was our Project Dijon,” Reusser said after donning the yellow jersey. “This was the idea that we had for a long time and I saw the Tour as my goal for the year. I really targeted it.”

Vollering and Ferrand-Prévot's Contrasting Fortunes

Vollering, the 2023 champion, limited her losses impressively. “I knew I’d lose time to Marlen, but I’m happy with this time trial because I knew it was really one for the specialists,” she said. “Keeping the gap so close makes me very happy.”

In stark contrast, defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot endured a catastrophic day, losing 2 minutes 13 seconds to Reusser. French media labelled her performance as such, as she dropped to 14th overall, visibly struggling on the climbs and lacking the power that carried her to victory last year.

“There’s nothing I can do,” Ferrand-Prévot admitted. “I pushed as hard as I could. It was a lot of stress. I’m glad this day is over.”

General Classification After Stage 4

Key Takeaways from Stage 4

• Reusser's dominance in time trials gives her a tactical advantage for the mountain stages.
• Vollering remains the biggest threat, just 14 seconds behind, with strong climbing credentials.
• Ferrand-Prévot's title defense is now in serious jeopardy, requiring aggressive racing in the Alps.
• Niewiadoma-Phinney is still within striking distance if she can gain time on climbs.

What's Next for the Peloton

The race now heads into a series of steep climbs, which will test Reusser's ability to defend yellow. Vollering, known for her climbing prowess, will likely attack early to close the gap.

Ferrand-Prévot faces a monumental task to claw back over two minutes, but the mountains can create massive time swings. The next stages will determine whether Reusser's time trial heroics are enough for a historic overall win.

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