Tour de France Femmes - Marlen Reusser storms to Stage 4 victory as Marianne Vos consolidates yellow jersey

Marlen Reusser (Team SD Worx) produced a stunning ride to clinch the Stage 4 victory while Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) edged a bunch sprint behind in the yellow jersey. On an epic day of racing, Reusser raced clear in brilliant and convincing fashion with a solo break to take the triumph with Evita Muzic (FDJ-SUEZ-Futuroscope) a full 1'24" behind.

Ad/> Vos put in another fine performance in the yellow jersey. She was 1'40" back from Reusser and managed to storm clear from a bunch that included Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx), winner of this year’s Strade Bianche.

/> Tour de France Femmes‘Incredible ride!’ — Reusser storms to Stage 4 win8 MINUTES AGO It was a stage that had been hyped to epic proportions among fans and in the media as the stage when the GC battle would ignite, but on a day beset with mechanicals for key players and with tension high in the peloton, there was very little change in the overall standings. Departing from Troyes on a second day in the champagne region, the first half of the race was relatively laid back by comparison to the second half.

A breakaway of three riders went clear early on in the stage, which lacked any significant obstacles in its first, broadly flat, 60km. Following an intermediate sprint in Bar-Sur-Seine, the pace picked up as the riders tackled the first climb of the day, before entering the first of the four gravel segments they would have to navigate on their way to Bar-Sur-Aubes.

With climbs and gravel segments coming in quick succession, the peloton was thinned out throughout the day, with a group of GC favourites moving clear after the second categorised climb of the day. They were measured in their approach though, not taking any risks on the gravel, which was rough and loose