Marlen Reusser (Movistar Team) is the first stage winner of this year’s Tour de Suisse Women. On the 95.5 kilometre Gstaad – Gstaad circuit, last year’s winner Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) had no chance against the Swiss star in the sprint duel.
Stage One of the top-class Tour de Suisse Women saw the expected close contest between the two favourites. It was Marlen Reusser who really opened up the stage early on. With more than 60 kilometres to the finish, she attacked on the Jaun Pass descent managing to distance herself from the competition by a few seconds. Last year’s winner Demi Vollering made a huge effort to get onto Reusser’s wheel.
From this point onwards, the pair kept their cool, even if they did not always have the same opinion regarding the lead outs. There were similar issues in the chasing pack however so the Swiss and Dutch cyclists were never in any danger of being caught. In the end it was the sprint on the home straight that decided the race. A good 200 metres before the finish line, Demi Vollering launched her sprint in an effort to leave Marlen Reusser behind. The Swiss rider responded promptly to impressively demonstrate the form she is currently in. She gave Demi Vollering, who lives in Switzerland, no chance over the closing metres.
Big Lead in the General Classification
The large gap of almost two minutes opened up by Marlen Reusser and Demi Vollering on their pursuers raises the question of whether a preliminary decision has already been made today for the rest of the Tour. Nothing has been decided yet, but Marlen Reusser showed in this stage that she can more than keep up wlth last year’s winner and is a clear favourite for the overall victory.
Katarzyna Niewiadoma (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto) took the sprint for third place. The second-best Swiss rider in today’s stage was Noemi Rüegg (EF-Oatly-Cannondale), crossing the finish line in sixth place. Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance – Soudal Team) took the first QOM jersey.
