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

The Tour de France Femmes stage 4 time trial delivered a thrilling showdown as Marlen Reusser, the reigning world time trial champion, powered to victory and claimed the yellow jersey. Her dominant ride over 21km from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon reshaped the general classification, setting up an intense battle for the remaining stages.

Reusser's Masterclass in the Dijon Time Trial

Marlen Reusser of Movistar produced a flawless performance, completing the course in 27 minutes and 30 seconds. The Swiss rider's time was enough to overtake previous leader Sigrid Haugset, who lost over three minutes and slipped down the standings. Reusser's victory marks her first Tour de France stage win and puts her in pole position for the overall title.

"I'm super, super happy. This was kind of the idea that we had since a long time," Reusser said after the stage. "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."

Top Contenders and Surprises

Demi Vollering, the 2023 champion, finished second in the stage and now sits 14 seconds behind Reusser in the general classification. The Dutch rider from FDJ United-Suez showed her strength but couldn't match Reusser's pace. Meanwhile, 2024 winner Kasia Niewiadoma delivered a solid ride, finishing sixth overall, and expressed satisfaction 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," Niewiadoma said. "As you can see, if you believe in something and you put good amount of work, anything is possible."

General Classification After Stage 4

The GC standings have been shaken up, with several riders making significant moves. Here's the top 10 after the time trial:

Key Takeaways from Stage 4

• Reusser's time trial dominance – She proved why she's the world champion, gaining over a minute on most rivals.
• Vollering remains a threat – Only 14 seconds back, she's well-positioned for the mountain stages.
• Haugset's yellow jersey loss – The Norwegian lost 3'06'' and dropped to fourth overall.
• Niewiadoma's resilience – The defending champion minimized losses and stays within 1'09''.
• Young riders shining – Zoe Bäckstedt and Lieke Nooijen impressed in the time trial.

What's Next for the Tour de France Femmes?

With the time trial behind them, the race now heads into the hilly and mountainous terrain. Stage 5 is expected to challenge the pure time trialists and favor climbers like Vollering and Niewiadoma. Reusser will need to defend her lead, but her strong time trialing skills give her confidence for the coming days.

The battle for the yellow jersey is far from over, with less than two minutes separating the top ten. Every second counts, and the upcoming stages will test the riders' endurance and tactical acumen. Fans can expect aggressive racing as teams look to position their leaders for the final showdown in the Alps.

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