Ferrand-Prevot loses more than two minutes in time trial – Reusser takes yellow

Dijon – 05.08.2026: In the battle for the yellow jersey, the individual time trial has reshaped the balance of power. Marlen Reusser won the fourth stage of the Tour de France Femmes on Tuesday, 4 August, and took the lead in the overall standings. Over the 21 kilometres from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon, the Swiss rider put more than two minutes into defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot.

Reusser needed 27:30 minutes and recorded an average speed of 45.7 kilometres per hour. The climb to the Lacets de Marsannay, two kilometres at an average gradient of 6.7 percent, demanded far more from the riders than a flat course designed for pure time-trial specialists. Reusser extended her advantage there and held it on the fast run into Dijon.

Demi Vollering limited her deficit to 18 seconds. The Dutch rider of Team FDJ United-Suez is now 14 seconds behind Reusser in the overall standings, putting her in a strong position for the following mountain stages. Elisa Longo Borghini, Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney and Paula Blasi Cairol also remain among the riders capable of shaping the outcome of the race.

For Ferrand-Prevot, the time loss began on the way to the first intermediate split at the summit of Marsannay. At the finish, she was more than two minutes behind Reusser. This has fundamentally changed her tactical situation: as defending champion, she can no longer manage the race from a position of control and must now make up time in the mountains herself.

The French rider was not discouraged afterwards. She said she likes this kind of scenario, in which she has to chase her rivals. The deficit forces her to race more aggressively, but the upcoming climbs suit her strengths. Ferrand-Prevot secured her overall victory at the 2025 Tour de France Femmes above all through strong performances in the high mountains.

On Wednesday, 5 August, the fifth stage covers 140 kilometres from Macon to Belleville-en-Beaujolais. More demanding mountain stages follow later, including the mountain finish on Mont Ventoux. That is where it is likely to become clear how robust Reusser’s lead is and whether Vollering or Ferrand-Prevot can put the Swiss rider under pressure.

The time trial has given Reusser a valuable gap, but it has not yet been decisive. Vollering remained close to the new race leader, while Ferrand-Prevot must now attack. Ahead of the mountains, Reusser leads the overall standings by 14 seconds over Vollering.