The Tour de France Femmes finally met the stopwatch – and Marlen Reusser reminded everyone why she’s wearing the rainbow stripes.

The reigning World Time Trial Champion powered to victory in the 21-kilometre race against the clock from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon, edging an outstanding Lieke Nooijen by just four seconds to claim both the stage victory and the Maillot Jaune.

Lieke Nooijen set the fast time and looked to be the winner…

PEZ Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift 2026 Race Coverage is presented by FACTOR Bikes

While Reusser celebrated her first Tour stage win since 2024, the day’s biggest general classification story belonged to Demi Vollering. The Dutch star delivered a superb ride to finish third, taking significant time out of nearly every GC rival—most notably defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who endured a disastrous afternoon and conceded more than two minutes.

A Time Trial Built for Specialists

Stage 4 offered the first real opportunity for the race’s time trial experts.

The 21-kilometre course began in the Burgundy village of Gevrey-Chambertin before heading north toward Dijon. Riders faced one meaningful climb – the Lacets de Marsannay (1.8km at 6.9%) after seven kilometres – followed by a gradual rise before a fast six-kilometre descent and a flat three-kilometre run into the finish.

It wasn’t a technical course, but it demanded pacing, power, and precision.

Early Benchmark Times

France’s Célia Le Mouël (Ma Petite Entreprise) was the first rider to establish a respectable benchmark, only to be narrowly displaced by Belgian Sandrine Tas (Lotto-Intermarché).

That standard didn’t last long.

Lotte Claes (Fenix-Premier Tech), who had already beaten Tas at the Belgian National Time Trial Championships, stormed through nearly 24 seconds faster to become the new leader.

The hot seat, however, was far from settled.

KOM Jersey Puck Pieterse lost all kinds of time

Nooijen Produces the Ride of Her Career

A succession of strong Dutch riders soon rolled down the start ramp.

National champion Daniek Hengeveld couldn’t threaten the fastest time, but teammate Lieke Nooijen delivered the ride that would surprise the entire race.

Stopping the clock in 27:34, Nooijen vaulted into the lead and immediately became the benchmark everyone would chase.

Mischa Bredewold came closest but still fell short.

Attention then shifted to British sensation Zoë Bäckstedt, one of the pre-stage favourites. She trailed Nooijen by less than a second at the first intermediate checkpoint, but faded over the second half of the course and ultimately finished 15 seconds behind.

Nooijen remained firmly in the hot seat.

Reusser Delivers

Then came the favourites.

Anna van der Breggen was among the first GC contenders to start but quickly found herself losing significant time. Already 38 seconds down at the intermediate split, she eventually finished more than a minute behind Nooijen.

Marlen Reusser was a different story.

The reigning world champion was already 19 seconds faster than Nooijen at the first checkpoint, immediately confirming her status as the rider to beat.

Behind her, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot’s ride quickly unravelled.

The defending Tour champion looked uncomfortable from the start – constantly shifting position, changing lines, and riding in a far less aero position than her rivals.  She hemorrhaged time – 2:12 – from the opening kilometres, trailing Reusser by almost a minute and a half at the intermediate split. By the finish she had conceded well over two minutes – an enormous blow to her hopes of defending the yellow jersey.

When Reusser crossed the line, however, it became clear just how remarkable Nooijen’s performance had been.

Despite her blistering ride, the Swiss champion stopped the clock just four seconds faster than the young Dutchwoman.

It was enough.

Vollering Wins the GC Battle

While Reusser secured the stage, Demi Vollering quietly delivered one of the most important rides of the day.

The Dutch star conceded only 22 seconds at the intermediate checkpoint before producing an outstanding second half of the course to finish third, just 17 seconds behind Reusser.

The reward wasn’t a stage victory – but it may prove just as valuable.

Vollering gained nearly two minutes on Pauline Ferrand-Prévot while also taking close to a minute out of Anna van der Breggen and Kasia Niewiadoma in the overall classification.

Meanwhile, Stage 3 winner and race leader Sigrid Haugset never looked capable of defending yellow. Already more than two minutes behind Reusser at the first time check, the Norwegian surrendered the virtual race lead early in her ride.

None of the remaining starters could threaten Reusser’s winning time.

The Swiss champion celebrated her first Tour de France Femmes stage victory since 2024 and, for the first time in her career, pulled on the Tour’s coveted yellow jersey.

It was a day of precision, power, and patience – but perhaps the biggest winner beyond Reusser herself was Demi Vollering, whose podium ride may prove every bit as valuable when this Tour reaches the mountains later in the week.

Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift 2026 Stage 4 Results Individual Time Trial



 

 

 

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