The world time-trial champion, Marlen Reusser, took the overall lead in the Tour de France Femmes after winning the fourth stage from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon.

It was the 34-year-old Swiss rider’s third career win in the Tour and lifted her into a commanding lead over the defending champion, Pauline ­Ferrand-Prévot. Reusser, a specialist in racing against the clock, now leads the pre-race favourite Demi ­Vollering by 14 seconds, with the 2024 Tour winner, Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney, 1min 9sec further back.

But in a performance that the French media labelled catastrophic, Ferrand‑Prévot is now 2min 13sec behind the race leader, Reusser. “It was our Project Dijon,” Reusser said after donning the yellow jersey.

“This was the idea that we had for a long time and I saw the Tour as my goal for the year. I really targeted it. I am here as a leader, and I knew the Tour was going to start in Switzerland, on Swiss national day, and we would have a TT on the fourth day. So it was our Project Dijon.”

Vollering said: “I knew I’d lose time to Marlen, but I’m happy with this time trial because I knew it was really one for the specialists. But keeping the gap so close makes me very happy.”

While Reusser and the 2023 champion Vollering were at their best, Ferrand-Prévot toiled up the climbs and never mustered the form that had taken her to victory last summer. The anxiety she had felt about the stage proved well founded. Lacking power and seemingly purpose, she dropped to 14th overall, more than two ­minutes behind Reusser, winner this year of the Tour of Switzerland.

Even before the stage, as she waited to roll off the start ramp, Ferrand-Prévot had looked ­nervous, clutching an ice cube in her hands and closing her eyes in concentration. “There’s ­nothing I can do,” she said after the stage. “I pushed as hard as I could. It was a lot of stress. I’m glad this day is over.”

The French rider now faces a considerably harder task to defend her title, as the peloton heads into a series of stages peppered with climbs, culminating in the ascent of Mont Ventoux on Friday. While she outclimbed Vollering in the Tour Femmes last year, Ferrand-Prévot seems to be on the back foot in the race this year.

Reusser and Vollering have laid down a marker, but Ferrand-Prévot remains optimistic. “Now I have to chase,” she said, “and I love that.”