World time trial champion Marlen Reusser showcased her exceptional skills by winning stage four of the Tour de France Femmes, propelling herself into the overall lead. Completing the 21km course from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon in 27’30”, she finished just four seconds ahead of Lieke Nooijen from Visma-Lease a Bike.

This victory marks Reusser's third stage win in the Tour de France, with two of those being time trials. Notably, she donned the yellow jersey for the first time. "I’m super, super happy," Reusser expressed. "This was the idea that we had for a long time... I really targeted it."

Zoe Backstedt, a strong contender, narrowly missed the podium, finishing just two seconds behind Demi Vollering, who took third place, 17 seconds off Reusser's time. Vollering, the overall race favorite, celebrated her performance, visibly thrilled as she crossed the line.

The day significantly altered the general classification standings. Sigrid Haugset, the overnight leader and stage three winner, fell to fourth place, finishing over three minutes behind Reusser. Meanwhile, reigning champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, known for her limited time trial abilities, placed 34th, now sitting 14th overall.

Kasia Niewiadoma, the 2024 champion, finished 13th, just over a minute behind Reusser, but felt positive about her performance, stating, "If you believe in something and you put a good amount of work, anything is possible."

As it stands, Reusser leads the overall standings by 14 seconds from Vollering, followed by Cedrine Kerbaol in third, 54 seconds back. Haugset trails by 56 seconds, while Elisa Longo Borghini and Niewiadoma occupy fifth and sixth places, respectively.