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The Swiss Marlen Reusser won the fourth stage of the Tour de France Women between Troyes and Bar-sur-Aude, which took white paths. Évita Muzic took second place, becoming the first Frenchwoman to stand on the podium of a stage. Marianne Vos retains the yellow jersey.
The fourth stage of the Tour de France Women was both awaited and feared by the riders. Five listed climbs but above all four white paths – understand: unpaved –, all located in the second half of the route, promised a spectacular day, with movement in the fight for the general classification. The Swiss Marlen Reusser (SD Worx) managed to extricate herself from the peloton 23 km from the finish line to claim victory.
The Frenchwoman Évita Muzic sprinted a group of pursuers, signing a first French podium, ahead of Alena Amialiusik (Canyon-SRAM Racing).
An escape hosted by Coralie Demay
For the first time in this Women’s Tour, the peloton gave way to a breakaway, made up of Coralie Demay (Saint-Michel Auber 93), Valerie Demey (Liv Racing Xstra) and Laura Asencio (Ceratizit-WNT). The riders are in the lead at the first bump/white path sequence. Behind, the peloton is already in battle order.
If her two breakaway companions let go quickly, Coralie Demay clings on and passes the first two bumps and paths in the lead but is swallowed up on the Blu plateau path, the longest of the vineyard paths. She tries to stay ahead of the race but has to give in to the infernal pace imposed.
Mechanical incidents, inevitable in this kind of section, split the peloton for a while. The winner of the day before, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez-Futuroscope), and “Mavi” Garcia (UAE) are victims of this but manage to pick up once they have left the white path.
Marlen Reusser takes advantage of the slowdown to attack. Alena Amialiusik, Évita Muzic and Veronica Ewers (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) set off in pursuit as the yellow jersey peloton stalled. However, the Swiss, one of the best rollers in the world, is too strong in a final that is favorable to her. She cuts the line with 1 min 20 on her pursuers and 1 min 40 on the rest of the peloton, whose sprint is regulated by the yellow jersey in person, Marianne Vos.
The stage of the white paths will therefore have given birth to a mouse at the level of the general classification. Only “Mavi” Garcia, victim of several mechanical incidents and a fall, lost time.