Marlen Reusser, the reigning world time trial champion, aced the individual time trial in the Tour de France Femmes to win stage four and take the yellow jersey from Sigrid Haugset. The Swiss rider completed the 21km route from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon in 27 minutes 30 seconds, securing a 14-second lead over former champion Demi Vollering in the general classification.
Reusser's Dominant Time Trial Performance
Reusser, riding for Movistar, delivered a masterclass in pacing and power, proving why she is the world's best against the clock. Her victory was not just a stage win but a statement of intent, as she now leads the Tour de France Femmes with the yellow jersey on her shoulders.
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“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, and that I am here as a leader… we always said it's our project, Dijon,” said Reusser after the stage.
GC Shake-Up: Vollering and Niewiadoma React
The time trial caused significant shifts in the general classification. Demi Vollering, the 2023 champion, lost time to Reusser but remains second overall, 14 seconds back. Meanwhile, 2024 winner Kasia Niewiadoma delivered a solid performance, moving up to sixth place, 1 minute 9 seconds behind the leader.
“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. As you can see, if you believe in something and you put good amount of work, anything is possible. So, yeah, the goal for today was to minimalize losses,” said Niewiadoma.

Stage 4 Top 10 Results
| Rank | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marlen Reusser (Movistar) | 27:30 |
| 2 | Lieke Nooijen (Visma-Lease a Bike) | +4'' |
| 3 | Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) | +18'' |
| 4 | Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-Sram) | +20'' |
| 5 | Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx-Protime) | +45'' |
General Classification After Stage 4
| Rank | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marlen Reusser (Movistar) | 11:47:36 |
| 2 | Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) | +14'' |
| 3 | Cedrine Kerbaol (FEF Education-Oatly) | +54'' |
| 4 | Sigrid Haugset (NUno-X Mobility) | +56'' |
| 5 | Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team L'Imad) | +1'03'' |
| 6 | Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM) | +1'09'' |
| 7 | Paula Blasi Cairol (UAE Team L'Imad) | +1'12'' |
| 8 | Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) | +1'17'' |
| 9 | Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon-SRAM) | +1'43'' |
| 10 | Femke de Vries (Visma-Lease a Bike) | +1'47'' |
Key Takeaways from Stage 4
- Reusser's dominance in time trials is unmatched, securing her first Tour de France Femmes stage win.
- Vollering remains a strong contender, only 14 seconds behind, setting up a thrilling battle for the overall title.
- Niewiadoma's improved time trialing shows her commitment to closing gaps on this discipline.
- The yellow jersey change adds excitement as the race heads into the mountain stages.
What's Next for the Tour de France Femmes?
With the time trial behind them, the riders now face the challenging mountain stages in the Jura and Alps. The general classification is far from decided, and Reusser will need to defend her lead against strong climbers like Vollering and Niewiadoma.
The coming days will test the riders' endurance and tactical skills, promising more drama and excitement for cycling fans worldwide.
