After a hilly day on the third day of the Tour de France Femmes saw a surprise breakaway rider take the yellow jersey, stage 4 is set to be even more unpredictable with a 21km individual time trial.
After the absence of a race against the clock last year, the ITT returns and this time has a midpoint ascent of nearly 2km to disrupt the rhythm of time trial specialists and leave the door open for climbers.
"You really can't predict what it's going to be like, whether it's going to be a super good day for the climbers or if it's going to be a super good day for the time trial riders,” Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM), the reigning U23 ITT World Champion told Cyclingnews ahead of stage 3.
The 21km individual time trial takes place in the Côte d'Or department, filled with an abundance of vineyards, hills and historic cities. Riders are on the hunt for gold at the finish line in Dijon, the ride expected to take 27 minutes.
Riders begin with a relatively flat opening 7km. The route is punctuated by a 1.8km climb to Marsannay-la-Côte, which averages 6.9%. Once across the top, there is still another one kilometre at 4% gradient to cover to reach Corcelles-les-Monts. The final 9km roll downhill for the finish in Dijon, for the finish on Avenue du Général-de-Gaulle.
More on the ITT
- Tour de France Femmes 2026 stage 4 preview - 21km individual time trial with one mid-race climb 'super hard to predict'
- 'The goal is to minimise the loss' – Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney fully realistic about Tour de France Femmes time trial abilities
- Why a resurgent Marlen Reusser should be a real worry for Demi Vollering and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot at the Tour de France Femmes – Analysis
The last ITT at the Tour was a 6.3km flat shootout in Rotterdam, won by Demi Vollering. There's no comparison on the route, but there are similar adversaries looking to put time into each other as before.
Stage 3 winner Sigrid Haugset (Uno-X Mobility), wearing the yellow jersey as the last rider down the start ramp in Gevrey-Chambertin on Tuesday, has just over two minutes on many of the favourites, including ITT elite world champion Marlen Reusser (Movistar). What will be interesting to watch will be Haugset's time, as she finished 11th in the ITT at last year's World Championships, going 3:15 slower than Reusser. Haugset has 2:06 on Vollering, who had a crash on stage 3 and will be evaluated prior to Tuesday's start, and the buffer to Bäckstedt is a hefty 6:22.
The first rider of 138 will be Mexican rider Romina Hinojosa (Lotto-Intermarché), the clock starting at 14:51 CEST. From the second half of the start list, Pan American ITT winner Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly) will take her turn at 16:20. Nine riders and nine minutes later, Bäckstedt will then take her turn.
Once the top 20 take the start ramp, the time between riders will be expanded from one minute to two minutes. The top pair of contenders in the youth classification will be separated by just one rider, second-placed Isabella Holmgren (Lidl-Trek) starting at 17:00 and then best U24 rider Paul Blasi (UAE Team L'IMAD) going off at 17:04.
Reusser will begin her ride at 17:08, followed by defending Tour champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Visma-Lease a Bike) leading a process of the top 10. Vollering goes off at 17:24, then Kim le Court-Pienaar at 17:26 and Haugset in the yellow jersey at 17:28.
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Tour de France Femmes stage 4 ITT start times
Order |
Rider (Country) Team |
Time |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Romina Hinojosa Cruz (Mex) Lotto-Intermarché |
14:51:00 |
2 |
Hannah Ludwig (Ger) Cofidis |
14:52:00 |
3 |
Mia Griffin (Irl) Picnic PostNL |
14:53:00 |
4 |
Noémie Abgrall (Fra) Ma Petite Entreprise |
14:54:00 |
5 |
Teuntje Beekhuis (Ned) Uno-X Mobility |
14:55:00 |
6 |
Lene Robyn Clay (GBr) Picnic PostNL |
14:56:00 |
7 |
Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 |
14:57:00 |
8 |
Victorie Guilman (Fra) Cofidis |
14:58:00 |
9 |
Lucie Fityus (Aus) Picnic PostNL |
14:59:00 |
10 |
Célia le Mouël (Fra) Ma Petite Entreprise |
15:00:00 |
11 |
Alison Jackson (Can) St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 |
15:01:00 |
12 |
Caroline Wreszin (USA) St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 |
15:02:00 |
13 |
Arianna Fidanza (Ita) Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi |
15:03:00 |
14 |
Constance Valentin (Fra) Mayenne-Monbana-MyPie |
15:04:00 |
15 |
Heidi Franz (USA) St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 |
15:05:00 |
16 |
Sandrine Tas (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
15:06:00 |
17 |
Charlotte Kool (Ned) Fenix-Premier Tech |
15:07:00 |
18 |
Kiara Lylyk (Can) Mayenne-Monbana-MyPie |
15:08:00 |
19 |
Marie le Net (Fra) FDJ United-SUEZ |
15:09:00 |
20 |
Naia Amondarain Gaztañaga (Spa) Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi |
15:10:00 |
21 |
Sophie von Berswordt (Ned) VolkerWessels |
15:11:00 |
22 |
Maud Rijnbeek (Ned) VolkerWessels |
15:12:00 |
23 |
India Grangier (Fra) St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 |
15:13:00 |
24 |
Anneke Dijkstra (Ned) VolkerWessels |
15:14:00 |
25 |
Alessia Vigilia (Ita) Uno-X Mobility |
15:15:00 |
26 |
Amalie Dideriksen (Den) Cofidis |
15:16:00 |
27 |
Elena Cecchini (Ita) SD Worx-Protime |
15:17:00 |
28 |
Yuliia Biriukova (Ukr) Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi |
15:18:00 |
29 |
Idoia Eraso Lasa (Spa) Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi |
15:19:00 |
30 |
Océane Mahe (Fra) Ma Petite Entreprise |
15:20:00 |
31 |
Morgane Coston (Fra) Ma Petite Entreprise |
15:21:00 |
32 |
Daniek Hengeveld (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike |
15:22:00 |
33 |
Arlenis Sierra Canadilla (Cub) Movistar Team |
15:23:00 |
34 |
Quinty Schoens (Ned) VolkerWessels |
15:24:00 |
35 |
Marine Allione (Fra) Mayenne-Monbana-MyPie |
15:25:00 |
36 |
Fiona Mangan (Irl) Mayenne-Monbana-MyPie |
15:26:00 |
37 |
Eleonora Ciabocco (Ita) Picnic PostNL |
15:27:00 |
38 |
Ana Vitoria Magalhaes (Bra) Movistar Team |
15:28:00 |
39 |
Henrietta Christie (NZl) EF Education-Oatly |
15:29:00 |
40 |
Carlotta Cipressi (Ita) Human Powered Health |
15:30:00 |
41 |
Natalie Quinn (USA) Mayenne-Monbana-MyPie |
15:31:00 |
42 |
Sara Martin Martin (Spa) Movistar Team |
15:32:00 |
43 |
Marit Raaijmakers (Ned) Human Powered Health |
15:33:00 |
44 |
Chiara Consonni (Ita) Canyon-SRAM |
15:34:00 |
45 |
Paula Ostiz (Spa) Movistar Team |
15:35:00 |
46 |
Alice Coutinho (Fra) Mayenne-Monbana-MyPie |
15:36:00 |
47 |
Francesca Barale (Ita) Movistar Team |
15:37:00 |
48 |
Lotte Claes (Bel) Fenix-Premier Tech |
15:38:00 |
49 |
Urška Žigart (Slo) AG Insurance-Soudal |
15:39:00 |
50 |
Mackenzie Coupland (Aus) Liv AlUla Jayco |
15:40:00 |
51 |
Titia Ryo (Fra) Human Powered Health |
15:41:00 |
52 |
Malou Eisen (Ned) VolkerWessels |
15:42:00 |
53 |
Lore de Schepper (Bel) AG Insurance-Soudal |
15:43:00 |
54 |
Millie Couzens (GBr) Fenix-Premier Tech |
15:44:00 |
55 |
Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Aus) Liv AlUla Jayco |
15:45:00 |
56 |
Letizia Paternoster (Ita) Liv AlUla Jayco |
15:46:00 |
57 |
Alice Towers (GBr) EF Education-Oatly |
15:47:00 |
58 |
Nina Berton (Lux) EF Education-Oatly |
15:48:00 |
59 |
Letizia Borghesi (Ita) AG Insurance-Soudal |
15:49:00 |
60 |
Lily Williams (USA) Human Powered Health |
15:50:00 |
61 |
Franziska Koch (Ger) FDJ United-SUEZ |
15:51:00 |
62 |
Anouska Koster (Ned) Uno-X Mobility |
15:52:00 |
63 |
Barbara Malcotti (Ita) Human Powered Health |
15:53:00 |
64 |
Linda Riedmann (Ger) Lotto-Intermarché |
15:54:00 |
65 |
Julie Bego (Fra) Cofidis |
15:55:00 |
66 |
Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek |
15:56:00 |
67 |
Eline Jansen (Ned) VolkerWessels |
15:57:00 |
68 |
Silke Smulders (Ned) Liv AlUla Jayco |
15:58:00 |
69 |
Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Picnic PostNL |
15:59:00 |
70 |
Lieke Nooijen (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike |
16:00:00 |
71 |
Shari Bossuyt (Bel) AG Insurance-Soudal |
16:01:00 |
72 |
Lorena Wiebes (Ned) SD Worx-Protime |
16:02:00 |
73 |
Mischa Bredewold (Ned) SD Worx-Protime |
16:03:00 |
74 |
Josie Nelson (GBr) Picnic PostNL |
16:04:00 |
75 |
Liane Lippert (Ger) Movistar Team |
16:05:00 |
76 |
Marte Berg Edseth (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
16:06:00 |
77 |
Soraya Paladin (Ita) Canyon-SRAM |
16:07:00 |
78 |
Karolina Perekitko (Pol) Mayenne-Monbana-MyPie |
16:08:00 |
79 |
Jeanne Korevaar (Ned) Liv AlUla Jayco |
16:09:00 |
80 |
Amber Kraak (Ned) FDJ United-SUEZ |
16:10:00 |
81 |
Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka (Pol) Canyon-SRAM |
16:11:00 |
82 |
Evita Muzic (Fra) FDJ United-SUEZ |
16:12:00 |
83 |
Sara Casasola (Ita) Fenix-Premier Tech |
16:13:00 |
84 |
Sarah van Dam (Can) Visma-Lease a Bike |
16:14:00 |
85 |
Loes Adegeest (Ned) Lidl-Trek |
16:15:00 |
86 |
Lucinda Brand (Ned) Lidl-Trek |
16:16:00 |
87 |
Silvia Persico (Ita) UAE Team L'IMAD |
16:17:00 |
88 |
Gaia Masetti (Ita) Picnic PostNL |
16:18:00 |
89 |
Mireia Benito Pellicer (Spa) AG Insurance-Soudal |
16:19:00 |
90 |
Kristen Faulkner (USA) EF Education-Oatly |
16:20:00 |
91 |
Ema Comte (Fra) Cofidis |
16:21:00 |
92 |
Valentina Cavallar (Aut) SD Worx-Protime |
16:22:00 |
93 |
Marion Bunel (Fra) Visma-Lease a Bike |
16:23:00 |
94 |
Nadia Gontova (Can) Liv AlUla Jayco |
16:24:00 |
95 |
Magdeleine Vallieres Mill (Can) EF Education-Oatly |
16:25:00 |
96 |
Maeva Squiban (Fra) UAE Team L'IMAD |
16:26:00 |
97 |
Paula Patiño Bedoya (Col) Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi |
16:27:00 |
98 |
Solène Muller (Fra) St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 |
16:28:00 |
99 |
Zoe Jane Backstedt (GBr) Canyon-SRAM |
16:29:00 |
100 |
Nikola Nosková (Cze) Cofidis |
16:30:00 |
101 |
Amanda Spratt (Aus) Lidl-Trek |
16:31:00 |
102 |
Riejanne Markus (Ned) Lidl-Trek |
16:32:00 |
103 |
Clémence Latimier (Fra) Ma Petite Entreprise |
16:33:00 |
104 |
Maria Rosa Klöser (Ger) Canyon-SRAM |
16:34:00 |
105 |
Justine Ghekiere (Bel) AG Insurance-Soudal |
16:35:00 |
106 |
Nina Buijsman (Ned) Human Powered Health |
16:36:00 |
107 |
Nienke Vinke (Ned) SD Worx-Protime |
16:37:00 |
108 |
Debora Silvestri (Ita) Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi |
16:38:00 |
109 |
Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime |
16:39:00 |
110 |
Katrine Aalerud (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
16:40:00 |
111 |
Laura Asencio (Fra) Ma Petite Entreprise |
16:41:00 |
112 |
Dominika Wlodarczyk (Pol) UAE Team L'IMAD |
16:42:00 |
113 |
Femke de Vries (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike |
16:43:00 |
114 |
Célia Gery (Fra) FDJ United-SUEZ |
16:44:00 |
115 |
Yara Kastelijn (Ned) Fenix-Premier Tech |
16:45:00 |
116 |
Usoa Ostolaza Zabala (Spa) Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi |
16:46:00 |
117 |
Malwina Mul (Pol) Cofidis |
16:47:00 |
118 |
Emilie Morier (Fra) St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 |
16:48:00 |
119 |
Monica Trinca Colonel (Ita) Liv AlUla Jayco |
16:50:00 |
120 |
Thalita de Jong (Ned) Human Powered Health |
16:52:00 |
121 |
Anna van der Breggen (Ned) SD Worx-Protime |
16:54:00 |
122 |
Juliette Berthet (Fra) FDJ United-SUEZ |
16:56:00 |
123 |
Antonia Niedermaier (Ger) Canyon-SRAM |
16:58:00 |
124 |
Isabella Holmgren (Can) Lidl-Trek |
17:00:00 |
125 |
Mavi Garcia (Spa) UAE Team L'IMAD |
17:02:00 |
126 |
Paula Blasi Cairol (Spa) UAE Team L'IMAD |
17:04:00 |
127 |
Niamh Fisher-Black (NZl) Lidl-Trek |
17:06:00 |
128 |
Marlen Reusser (Swi) Movistar Team |
17:08:00 |
129 |
Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Visma-Lease a Bike |
17:10:00 |
130 |
Puck Pieterse (Ned) Fenix-Premier Tech |
17:12:00 |
131 |
Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Pol) Canyon-SRAM |
17:14:00 |
132 |
Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) UAE Team L'IMAD |
17:16:00 |
133 |
Cedrine Kerbaol (Fra) EF Education-Oatly |
17:18:00 |
134 |
Marianne Vos (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike |
17:20:00 |
135 |
Noemi Ruegg (Swi) EF Education-Oatly |
17:22:00 |
136 |
Demi Vollering (Ned) FDJ United-SUEZ |
17:24:00 |
137 |
Kim le Court Pienaar (Mau) AG Insurance-Soudal |
17:26:00 |
138 |
Sigrid Haugset (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
17:28:00 |
