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

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, riding for Movistar, finished the 21km ride from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon in 27min 30sec, taking a 14-second lead over former champion Demi Vollering in the general classification.

Reusser's Dominant Time Trial Performance

Reusser's victory was a statement of intent, as she had targeted this Tour as her primary 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, and that I am here as a leader… we always said it's our project, Dijon," she said after the stage.

The time trial course, starting in Gevrey-Chambertin and finishing in Dijon, was flat and fast, favoring powerful riders like Reusser. Her average speed was over 45 km/h, and she managed her effort perfectly to hold off the challenge of former champion Demi Vollering, who finished second on the stage.

GC Standings After Stage 4

The general classification is now tightly contested, with several top contenders within a minute of the yellow jersey. Here are the top 10 riders after the stage:

Niewiadoma's Strong Ride and Other Highlights

Kasia Niewiadoma, the 2024 winner, rode a fine time trial and was delighted 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. 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," she said.

Meanwhile, the stage saw several notable performances, including a strong ride from young Zoe Bäckstedt, who finished fourth on the stage and moved into contention for the white jersey. The battle for the green points jersey also intensified, with Lieke Nooijen taking the lead in that classification after a solid time trial.

Key Takeaways from Stage 4

• Marlen Reusser wins her first Tour de France Femmes stage and takes the yellow jersey.
• Demi Vollering remains a major threat, only 14 seconds behind in the GC.
• Kasia Niewiadoma shows her resilience, staying within 1'09'' of the lead.
• The time trial reshuffled the GC, with several riders losing time.
• Upcoming mountain stages will be crucial for the overall classification.

What's Next for the Tour de France Femmes?

With the time trial done, the race heads into the mountain stages in the Alps, where climbers like Vollering and Niewiadoma will look to attack Reusser. The Swiss rider has shown she can handle pressure, but the climbs will test her limits.

The next stage is a hilly stage that could suit breakaway specialists, while the final weekend features the iconic ascent of Alpe d'Huez. The yellow jersey is far from secure, and fans can expect fierce battles in the coming days.

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