Tour de France Femmes: Reusser Wins Time Trial to Take Yellow 2026

Marlen Reusser, the world time-trial champion, won the fourth stage of the Tour de France Femmes and snatched the yellow jersey with a dominant performance. The 34-year-old Swiss rider’s third career Tour stage victory came on a demanding 22.4km course from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon, where she outpaced all rivals and took the overall lead.

Reusser’s Masterclass in the Dijon Time Trial

Reusser, a specialist in racing against the clock, delivered a flawless ride to finish ahead of defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and pre-race favourite Demi Vollering. Her time of 29 minutes and 12 seconds was 14 seconds faster than Vollering, who now sits second overall. The 2024 Tour winner Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney finished 1 minute 9 seconds behind Reusser, while Ferrand-Prévot lost 2 minutes 13 seconds, a result French media labelled “catastrophic.”

“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 Stage Unfolded

The stage started in Gevrey-Chambertin, a village famous for its wines, and wound through rolling vineyards before hitting the flat, fast roads into Dijon. The course featured two short climbs that tested the riders’ power, but the final 10km were a pure battle against the clock on wide, straight roads. Reusser’s pacing was impeccable, as she consistently held a high speed and gained time on every intermediate checkpoint.

Vollering, who won the 2023 edition, was satisfied with her effort despite losing 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. But keeping the gap so close makes me very happy,” she said. Meanwhile, Ferrand-Prévot struggled from the start, looking tense as she waited on the ramp, clutching an ice cube and closing her eyes. She lacked power on the climbs and never found her rhythm, dropping to 14th overall.

General Classification After Stage 4

Reusser’s lead is significant but not insurmountable, as the race heads into a series of stages that could shake up the standings. The defending champion Ferrand-Prévot faces an uphill battle to reclaim the yellow jersey, but with the mountains still to come, nothing is decided.

Key Takeaways from Stage 4

• Reusser’s time-trial dominance gave her the yellow jersey and a 14-second lead over Vollering.
• Ferrand-Prévot’s poor performance leaves her 2:13 behind, a major blow to her title defence.
• Vollering remains the closest challenger, staying within striking distance despite losing time.
• Niewiadoma-Phinney is still in contention, but needs to gain time in the mountains.
• The upcoming stages feature steep climbs that will test the GC contenders.

What’s Next for the Tour de France Femmes?

The race now moves into the Jura mountains, with stage 5 featuring a category 2 climb and a summit finish. Reusser will need to defend her lead against stronger climbers like Vollering and Niewiadoma-Phinney. Ferrand-Prévot, known for her climbing ability, may use the mountains to attack and try to regain lost time.

“There’s nothing I can do,” Ferrand-Prévot said after the stage. “I pushed as hard as I could. It was a lot of stress. I’m glad this day is over.” The French rider now faces a considerably harder task to defend her title, but the Tour is far from over.

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