Reusser shines in the Dijon time trial and wears the yellow jersey of the Tour de France Femmes

A true demonstration of strength against the clock: Marlen Reusser (Movistar) won the individual race of the fourth stage of the Tour de France Femmes , a 21km route from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon, ahead of Lieke Nooijen (Visma-Lease a Bike) by just 4 seconds and Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) by 18. A result that confirms how the world time trial champion is a certainty when it comes to racing against the clock.

Thanks to this victory, the Swiss rider finally sewed the yellow jersey onto her shoulders, a feat never achieved before in her career. The one who paid the price was Sigrid Haugset (Uno-X Mobility), the overall leader after her incredible 88km solo breakaway the previous day: the Norwegian lost 3:06 minutes to Reusser, slipping to fourth place and seeing her dream of defending the symbol of the lead vanish.

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike) had a disappointing day, appearing to struggle on her time trial bike and only partially able to limit the damage, finishing 2:14. Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team L'IMAD) and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM) fared better, managing to limit their losses to 1:03 and 1:09 minutes, respectively, while still demonstrating solidity in the face of the challenges ahead. Longo Borghini, however, is disappointed by a mechanical issue that cost her precious seconds.

With the next two hilly stages on the horizon, the battle for the overall title promises to be fierce: Reusser leads by 14 seconds over Vollering, while Kerbaol remains 54 seconds behind. The Tour de France Femmes promises to be even more exciting, and for fantasy cycling fans, it will be crucial to see who can hold their own better on the rougher terrain.

Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency