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

Marlen Reusser, the world time-trial champion, won the Tour de France Femmes stage 4 time trial to snatch the yellow jersey from the defending champion. The 34-year-old Swiss rider delivered a commanding performance on the 22.5km course from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon, finishing ahead of all rivals and moving into the overall lead. This victory marks her third career Tour stage win and sets up a thrilling battle for the remaining stages.

Reusser's Dominant Time Trial Performance

Reusser, a specialist in racing against the clock, used her technical prowess and raw power to set the fastest time on the day. Her ride was so strong that she now leads the pre-race favourite, Demi Vollering, by 14 seconds in the general classification. The 2024 Tour winner, Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney, sits 1 minute 9 seconds further back, while the defending champion, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, lost over two minutes and now trails by 2 minutes 13 seconds.

“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. I am here as a leader, and I knew the Tour was going to start in Switzerland, on Swiss national day, and we would have a TT on the fourth day. So it was our Project Dijon.”

How the GC Battle Shifted

The time trial reshuffled the general classification, with Reusser now wearing yellow and Vollering emerging as her closest rival. Vollering, the 2023 champion, was pleased with her effort, saying, “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. But keeping the gap so close makes me very happy.”

In contrast, Ferrand-Prévot had a day to forget. The French media labelled her performance “catastrophic” as she struggled on the climbs and never found her rhythm. She dropped to 14th overall, more than two minutes behind Reusser. “There’s nothing I can do,” she said after the stage. “I pushed as hard as I could. It was a lot of stress. I’m glad this day is over.”

Time Trial Results: Key Comparisons

Here’s a look at the top finishers and their time gaps on stage 4:

What This Means for the Rest of the Tour

With the time trial behind them, the peloton now heads into a series of stages that could further shake up the standings. Reusser’s lead is slim but significant, and she will need to defend against Vollering’s climbing strength in the mountains. Ferrand-Prévot faces an uphill battle to defend her title, but she is known for her resilience and could still mount a comeback.

• Reusser now leads the GC by 14 seconds over Vollering.
• Niewiadoma-Phinney remains in contention, just over a minute back.
• Ferrand-Prévot must attack early in the mountain stages to regain time.
• The next stages include challenging climbs that could favour climbers like Vollering.

Key Takeaways from Stage 4

• Reusser’s time trial dominance proves she is a serious GC contender.
• Vollering’s consistency keeps her within striking distance.
• Ferrand-Prévot’s form is a major concern for the defending champion.
• The race is far from over, with mountain stages still to come.

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