Urška Žigart na kronometru 72., Tour ima novo vodilno

Marlen Reusser has taken over the lead in the overall standings of the Tour de France after winning the 72nd place in the time trial, marking her third stage victory in the race. The Swiss rider, competing with the Movistar team, secured the yellow jersey, symbolizing leadership in the race, with a dominant performance in the individual time trial held in Dijon. This was her first time wearing the iconic jersey, and she celebrated her achievement with pride. The 21-kilometer time trial, which took place after three stages in Switzerland, saw Reusser finish four seconds ahead of Dutch rider Lieke Nooijen, who came in second. Third place went to another Dutch cyclist, Demi Vollering, who expressed satisfaction with her result. Reusser’s margin over Nooijen was 18 seconds, while her total gap in the overall standings stands at 14 seconds. French rider Cedrine Kerbaol finished third in the general classification, trailing by 54 seconds. Previously leading the race after three stages, Norwegian rider Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset fell to fourth place. Both defending champions, French rider Pauline Ferrand-Prevot and Mavician Kim Le Court-Pinenaar, struggled on the challenging course, finishing more than two minutes behind expectations. Le Court-Pinenaar, who is part of the same team as Slovenia's sole representative, Urška Žigart, faced difficulties during the previous stage due to gastrointestinal issues. She barely managed to reach the finish line and immediately announced she would not push herself fully in the time trial. Žigart, riding for the AG-Insurance Soudal team, ended up in 72nd position, finishing three minutes and 18 seconds behind the winner. Her overall standing places her 90th in the general classification, with a deficit of 26 minutes and 44 seconds. Despite her struggles, Žigart remains hopeful for future stages, particularly the mountainous route set for Wednesday. The upcoming stage will feature eight categorized climbs, though the race will not conclude on the final ascent. This stage promises to test the endurance and climbing abilities of the riders, offering a different challenge compared to the time trial. With the race moving into its more demanding phases, the competition for the yellow jersey is likely to intensify, especially among the top contenders. As the Tour continues, attention will focus on how the leaders adapt to the changing terrain and conditions. The results of this stage will shape the dynamics of the race heading into the final days, with each rider striving to maintain or improve their positions in the overall standings. The outcome of the coming stages will determine who ultimately claims the prestigious title.