Marlen Reusser Favored in Pivotal Individual Time Trial at Tour de France Femmes 2026

The fourth stage of the Tour de France Femmes 2026, scheduled for August 4, features the event's only individual time trial, a critical 21-kilometer course from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon. This stage is expected to significantly influence the general classification and the fight for the yellow jersey. The route includes a challenging climb at Marsannay-la-Côte, which stretches 1.8 kilometers with a steep 6.9% incline, testing the riders’ climbing and time trial abilities before a mainly downhill finish in Dijon.

Movistar’s Marlen Reusser, the reigning world champion, enters the time trial as the clear favorite. She faces strong contenders such as Anna van der Breggen from SD Worx-Pro Time and FDJ United-Suez’s Demi Vollering, both expected to impact the leaderboard significantly. Currently, Norwegian rider Sigrid Haugset holds the yellow jersey after her dominant solo victory on the third stage in Poligny.

The individual time trial is highly strategic, as riders start sequentially from the lowest ranking to the highest, providing a dynamic and suspenseful battle for every second. The importance of this stage is underscored by new regulatory measures: the UCI has implemented strict checks on cyclists’ outfits to prevent any aerodynamic advantages from modified clothing shapes. These controls, including scrutiny of padded bras or other enhancements, will take place ten minutes prior to each rider’s start at Gevrey-Chambertin.

Broadcast details indicate the time trial will commence with the first departure at 14:34, and coverage on France 2 starts at 15:50, with the last riders expected to finish around 17:55. With mountainous stages looming, this time trial is a decisive moment that could redefine the race’s dynamics ahead of the sport’s grand finale in Nice on August 9.