'It's gonna be brutal, 100%' - Marlen Reusser takes her 12-second Tour lead onto Mont Ventoux

'It's gonna be brutal, 100%' - Marlen Reusser takes her 12-second Tour lead onto Mont Ventoux

The yellow jersey has ridden the Tour’s summit finish only once, but believes its long, sustained gradient may suit her better than the climbs already faced.

By Peter Stuart · · 3 min read

Marlen Reusser (Movistar Team) will carry a 12-second Tour de France Femmes lead over Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) into Friday’s summit finish on Mont Ventoux, where the iconic 15.6km at 8.8% could reshape the general classification.

Reusser retained yellow on Thursday’s 153.4km sixth stage from Montbrison to Tournon-sur-Rhône, finishing alongside Vollering and third-placed Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon//SRAM). Kim Le Court-Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal Team) won from the breakaway, 28 seconds ahead of the main contenders.

After the stage, Reusser said she had reconnoitred Ventoux once, several weeks before the Tour. Its sustained gradient could favour her more than the repeated shorter climbs covered earlier in the race.

Results

Aug 6

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
Mary Patricia Kimberley le Court de Billot - Pienaar
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM4:01:48
🥈
Cedrine Kerbaol
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:00
🥉
Puck Pieterse
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+0:00
4
Sarah van Dam
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:00
5
Célia Gery
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:00
6
Liane Lippert
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:00
7
Elisa Longo Borghini
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+0:02
8
Riejanne Markus
LIDL - TREK+0:05
9
Dominika Wlodarczyk
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+0:28
10
Noemi Rüegg
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:28
11
Lotte Kopecky
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+0:28
12
Paula Blasi Cairol
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+0:28
13
Sara Casasola
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+0:28
14
Antonia Niedermaier
CANYON//SRAM +0:28
15
Marlen Reusser
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:28
16
Pauline Ferrand Prevot
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:28
17
Margarita Victoria Garcia Cañellas
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+0:28
18
Katarzyna Anna Niewiadoma-Phinney
CANYON//SRAM +0:28
19
Nienke Vinke
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+0:28
20
Niamh Mary Fisher-Black
LIDL - TREK+0:28
21
Thalita de Jong
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+0:28
22
Demi Vollering
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:28
23
Paula Ostiz Taco
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:28
24
Isabella Holmgren
LIDL - TREK+0:28
25
Magdeleine Vallieres Mill
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:28
26
Kristen Faulkner
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:28
27
Marion Bunel
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+3:07
28
Femke de Vries
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+3:07
29
Nina Buijsman
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+3:07
30
Juliette Berthet
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+3:07
31
Maeva Squiban
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+3:07
32
Amanda Spratt
LIDL - TREK+7:08
33
Océane Mahe
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+9:59
34
Clémence Latimier
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+9:59
35
Nadia Gontova
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+9:59
36
Daniek Hengeveld
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+9:59
37
Sara Martin Martin
MOVISTAR TEAM+9:59
38
Debora Silvestri
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+9:59
39
Lucinda Brand
LIDL - TREK+9:59
40
Franziska Koch
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+9:59
41
Lore de Schepper
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+9:59
42
Valentina Cavallar
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+9:59
43
Lotte Claes
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+9:59
44
Silvia Persico
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+9:59
45
Quinty Schoens
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+12:16
46
Karolina Perekitko
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+12:16
47
Gaia Masetti
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+12:16
48
Lieke Nooijen
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+12:16
49
Ana Vitoria Gouvea Vieira Almeida Magalhaes
MOVISTAR TEAM+12:16
50
Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset
UNO-X MOBILITY+12:16
51
Celia le Mouel
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+12:16
52
Alice Madeleine Towers
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+12:16
53
Laura Asencio
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+12:16
54
Rosa Klöser
CANYON//SRAM +12:16
55
Jeanne Korevaar
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+12:16
56
Emilie Morier
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+12:16
57
Loes Adegeest
LIDL - TREK+12:16
58
Mischa Bredewold
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+12:16
59
Francesca Barale
MOVISTAR TEAM+12:16
60
Justine Ghekiere
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+12:16
61
Silke Smulders
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+12:16
62
Katrine Aalerud
UNO-X MOBILITY+12:16
63
Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka
CANYON//SRAM +13:44
64
Lorena Wiebes
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+13:44
65
Alice Coutinho
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+13:44
66
Sandrine Tas
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+13:44
67
Marte Berg Edseth
UNO-X MOBILITY+13:44
68
Marianne Vos
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+13:44
69
Titia Ryo
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+13:44
70
Marie le Net
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+13:44
71
Anna van der Breggen
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+13:44
72
Elisa Balsamo
LIDL - TREK+13:44
73
Mireia Benito Pellicer
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+13:44
74
Urška Žigart
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+15:11
75
Carlotta Cipressi
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+18:26
76
Solène Muller
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+18:26
77
Henrietta Christie
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+18:26
78
Pfeiffer Zara Georgi
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+18:26
79
Nina Berton
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+18:26
80
Millie Couzens
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+18:26
81
Amber Kraak
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+18:26
82
Marit Raaijmakers
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+20:59
83
Lily Williams
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+20:59
84
Evita Muzic
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+20:59
85
Constance Valentin
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+25:33
86
Natalie Quinn
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+25:33
87
Romina Hinojosa Cruz
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+25:33
88
Letizia Borghesi
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+25:33
89
Fiona Mangan
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+25:33
90
Letizia Paternoster
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+25:33
91
Usoa Ostolaza Zabala
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+25:33
92
Amalie Dideriksen
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+25:33
93
Linda Riedmann
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+25:33
94
Victorie Guilman
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+25:33
95
Mackenzie Coupland
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+25:33
96
Yuliia Biriukova
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+25:33
97
Arlenis Sierra Canadilla
MOVISTAR TEAM+25:33
98
Paula Andrea Patiño Bedoya
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+25:33
99
Noemie Abgrall
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+25:33
100
Malwina Mul
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+25:33
101
Ema Comte
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+25:33
102
Elena Cecchini
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+25:33
103
Soraya Paladin
CANYON//SRAM +25:33
104
Zoe Backstedt
CANYON//SRAM +25:33
105
Ruby Roseman-Gannon
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+25:33
106
Julie Bego
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+25:33
107
Nikola Nosková
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+25:33
108
Malou Eisen
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+27:30
109
Heidi Franz
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+27:30
110
Shari Bossuyt
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+27:30
111
Alessia Vigilia
UNO-X MOBILITY+28:31
112
Marine Allione
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+28:31
113
Lucie Fityus
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+28:31
114
Anouska Koster
UNO-X MOBILITY+28:31
115
Caroline Wreszin
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+28:31
116
Robyn Clay
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+28:31
117
Mia Griffin
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+28:31
118
Maud Rijnbeek
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+28:31
119
Josie Nelson
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+28:31
120
Anneke Dijkstra
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+28:31
121
Eline Jansen
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+28:31
122
Sophie von Berswordt
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+28:31
123
Charlotte Kool
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+28:31
124
Alicia Gonzalez Blanco
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+28:31
125
Kiara Lylyk
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+28:31
126
Idoia Eraso Lasa
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+28:31
127
Naia Amondarain Gaztañaga
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+28:31
128
Arianna Fidanza
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+28:31
129
Alison Jackson
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+28:31
130
Chiara Consonni
CANYON//SRAM +28:31
131
Morgane Coston
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+28:31

“Actually, I like it,” Reusser said during the post-race press conference attended by Velora. “In the past, that kind of climb was suiting me more than what we did so far. But it’s gonna be brutal, 100%.”

Asked about past claims that women could not race cycling’s most imposing climbs, Reusser offered a dry response: “I think it’s just proof that the human being is not always such a smart species.”

Cyclists sprint in a group on open roads during Tour de France Femmes with Zwift, Étape 5 from Macon to Belleville

Stage 7 covers 146.8km from La Voulte-sur-Rhône, crossing the Ardèche, Drôme and Vaucluse before approaching Ventoux from the south. The decisive ascent begins at Saint-Estève and passes Chalet Reynard with 6.2km remaining, before entering the mountain’s exposed upper section.

The neutralised start is set for 12:50 local time and the expected finish for 17:17. Time bonuses of 10, six and four seconds are available at the summit, enough to erase or extend Reusser’s advantage.

Reusser described Ventoux as one of the Tour’s most important stages, and it formed the central focus of pre-race discussion - including in our race route analysis. Reusser, however, said the overall race would not be decided there. Stage 5 had already created substantial gaps, while further opportunities remain before the finish in Nice.

“I think it’s crucial tomorrow, but then it keeps going,” she said. “I think you have to stand in Nice at the end, end, end and then be in yellow.”

Reusser said the narrow margin over Vollering kept the contest close. “If you could have 10 minutes and win the Tour like this, why not?” she joked. “I think it makes it spicy, makes it interesting, not only for you and for the public, also for us.”

Her yellow jersey was not threatened on Stage 6, although Reusser admitted taking some corners near the limit while trying to remain near the front on the descents. Movistar also placed Liane Lippert in the breakaway, giving the team an option for the stage while Reusser stayed with her principal rivals.

Tactics for Ventoux will depend on how aggressively the opening 131km are raced and which teammates survive to Saint-Estève. Reusser said repeated attempts to form a break could keep the speed high until the foot of the final climb.

“I focus on every day,” she said. “Now I go recover. Tomorrow, I take care of Mont Ventoux.”

Cover image credit: BILLY CEUSTERS

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Peter

Peter Stuart

Editor

Peter is the editor of Velora and oversees Velora’s editorial strategy and content standards, bringing nearly 20 years of cycling journalism to the site. He was editor of Cyclingnews from 2022, introducing its digital membership strategy and expanding its content pillars. Before that he was digital editor at Cyclist, and then Rouleur. Before joining Cyclist in 2012, he completed freelance work for titles including The Times and The Telegraph. He has reported from Grand Tours and WorldTour races, and previously represented Great Britain as a rower.