Tour de France Femmes: Reusser wins time trial, takes yellow 2026

Marlen Reusser, the world time-trial champion, seized the yellow jersey at the Tour de France Femmes with a commanding stage four victory. The 34-year-old Swiss rider conquered the 22.7km course from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon, beating defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot by a staggering margin. Reusser's performance was a masterclass in pacing and power, confirming her status as the race's new leader.

Reusser's Project Dijon Pays Off

Reusser's victory was no accident. She revealed that the team had long planned for this stage, calling it “Project Dijon.” The Swiss rider targeted the Tour de France Femmes as her primary goal for the year, and the early time trial played perfectly into her strengths. “I knew the Tour was going to start in Switzerland, on Swiss national day, and we would have a TT on the fourth day,” she explained. That foresight translated into a devastating ride that left her rivals scrambling.

The time trial was always going to be a decisive moment, and Reusser delivered. She now leads the general classification by a comfortable margin, with Demi Vollering, the 2023 champion, sitting 14 seconds back. Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney, the 2024 winner, is more than a minute behind, while Ferrand-Prévot trails by over two minutes.

Vollering and Niewiadoma-Phinney Hold Their Ground

While Reusser dominated, Demi Vollering showed resilience. The Dutch rider, known for her climbing ability, admitted she expected to lose time. “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. Vollering’s gap of just 14 seconds is a psychological victory, keeping her within striking distance ahead of the mountain stages.

Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney also limited her losses, finishing 1 minute 9 seconds behind Reusser. The Polish rider, who won the 2024 edition, remains a serious contender, especially with the high mountains looming. Her consistent performance suggests she is peaking at the right time.

Ferrand-Prévot's Catastrophic Day

In stark contrast, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot endured a nightmare. The French media labeled her performance “catastrophic,” and the rider herself looked visibly stressed before the start, clutching an ice cube and closing her eyes. She lacked power on the climbs and never found her rhythm. “There’s nothing I can do. I pushed as hard as I could. It was a lot of stress. I’m glad this day is over,” she said after the stage.

Ferrand-Prévot now sits 14th overall, 2 minutes 13 seconds behind Reusser. Her title defense is on life support, and she will need a heroic performance in the mountains to have any chance. The coming stages will test her mental and physical fortitude.

Time Trial Results and GC Standings

Key Takeaways from Stage 4

• Marlen Reusser wins her third career Tour de France stage and takes the yellow jersey.
• Demi Vollering limits losses to 14 seconds, keeping her GC hopes alive.
• Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney remains in contention, just over a minute behind.
• Pauline Ferrand-Prévot's title defense suffers a major blow after a poor time trial.
• The upcoming mountain stages will likely decide the final podium.

What's Next for the Tour de France Femmes?

The race now heads into the Jura mountains, where the climbing specialists will have their chance to attack. Reusser will be under pressure to defend her lead, but she has shown she can handle the pressure. Vollering will look to chip away at the gap, while Niewiadoma-Phinney remains a dark horse.

Ferrand-Prévot faces an uphill battle, but cycling has seen many comebacks. The next few stages will reveal whether she can recover or if her title defense is over. One thing is certain: the 2025 Tour de France Femmes is far from decided.

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