Reusser blitzes Dijon time trial to take yellow on Tour Femmes stage 4
Business as usual for Marlen Reusser in the race against the clock, as the world and European champion claimed a milestone victory and the yellow jersey.
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Marlen Reusser (Movistar) powered to victory in the individual time trial on stage 4 of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift ahead of Lieke Nooijen (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez).
The world and European champion started as the pre-stage favourite and duly delivered, posting a time of 27:30 around the 21km from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon, three seconds ahead of Nooijen and 17 seconds ahead of Vollering, who was also a big winner in the GC picture.
Having started the stage 2:02 ahead of Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal), race leader Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset (Uno-X Mobility) was 2:05 behind Reusser through the first checkpoint, meaning that the defence of the yellow jersey was under threat.
Ultimately, Haugset's final time was not enough to hold onto yellow, with Reusser moving into the race lead.
Reusser now leads in the GC by 14 seconds over Vollering, while Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) sits third at 54 seconds ahead of a hilly fifth stage on Wednesday.
Reusser’s time trial success marks her third stage win at the Tour, and a milestone 40th professional victory.
How it unfolded
Lieke Nooijen (Visma | Lease a Bike) set a strong benchmark of 27:34, which initially stood in a league of its own in the standings.
British time trial champion and one of the pre-stage favourites, Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon//Sram), was the first rider to pose a threat to Nooijen's time, matching the fastest time through the intermediate checkpoint.
However, Bäckstedt was unable to match the pace of Nooijen on the back half of the course, posting a time 15 seconds slower.
Reusser blasted through the first checkpoint, 19 seconds quicker than Nooijen, setting a new benchmark. Reusser continued to power to the finish, posting a new fastest time, 4 seconds quicker than Nooijen.
Elisa Longo Borghini and Demi Vollering were also among the five fastest riders through the first intermediate checkpoint, 21 and 22 seconds behind Reusser respectively.
The first of the former champions to finish was Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, with the defending champion coming in 2:13 behind Reusser.
Next up was Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon//Sram), with the Polish rider 1:08 behind Reusser, placing in the provisional top 10 on the stage.
Longo Borghini slipped down the standings in the second half of the course, but remained on track for a top ten stage finish, before Vollering impressively posted the third fastest time.
Haugset was the final rider to cross the finish, sporting the yellow jersey, and despite a brave performance, was unable to hold onto yellow.
Result: Tour de France Femmes stage 4
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