The yellow jersey is still on her shoulders. After dominating the individual time trial in Dijon, Marlen Reusser continues to lead the Tour de France Femmes at the end of the sixth stage, confirming all the solidity of her team and the ability to manage a race that, day after day, becomes increasingly selective.

The Swiss champion navigated a treacherous stage without incident, full of rolling terrain and constant changes of pace, preserving the symbol of leadership on the eve of what could be the first real turning point of the Grande Boucle: the grueling ascent of Mont Ventoux.

The sixth stage was certainly not a procession. From the very beginning, the battle to get into the breakaway was fierce and the course, with its continuous elevation changes, made the race particularly demanding. «It was a tough day. The stage offered many possibilities and I believe there was a great battle to form the breakaway. The demanding terrain then made everything really difficult» said the general classification leader.

Despite the difficulties, Movistar managed to control the situation, allowing their captain to face the finale without trouble.

The only note of disappointment in Reusser's day concerns the failure of her teammate Liane Lippert to win, who was the protagonist of the decisive breakaway and the final sprint. «I'm a bit disappointed that Liane didn't manage to win, I know how fast she is and how well she can handle sprints. It's a shame even though I'm happy for her because she was in the breakaway for a long time» explained the Swiss rider.

The Tour leader then wanted to emphasize the great collective work of the team: «I think we can be really happy and proud of how we raced. We managed to stay with Liane in the finale and I believe the whole team did an excellent job».

Now, however, all thoughts are focused on the seventh stage, one of the most anticipated of the entire Tour de France Femmes. The 146.8 kilometers from La Voulte-sur-Rhône to Mont Ventoux promise to profoundly change the general classification. Reusser, however, prefers not to make calculations. «Many people have asked me what the Mont Ventoux stage will be like. I keep giving the same answer: first I need to recover, then tomorrow we'll see».

A simple philosophy, that of Marlen, built on the fundamental principles of recovery. «Actually, I don't do anything special. Sleep, eat... well, eat a lot, sleep well and get a massage. Nothing extraordinary».

According to the yellow jersey wearer, tomorrow's stage will follow a fairly predictable development: «I imagine that, as always, there will be a great battle to form the initial breakaway. Then probably there will be a selection and, finally, the spectacle of the great favorites will concentrate on Mont Ventoux».

For the Swiss rider there is no doubt: it will be one of the hardest days of the race. «I believe it will be a really important and very difficult stage for everyone».

After conquering the yellow jersey thanks to an extraordinary individual time trial, Marlen Reusser now faces the most severe test. Ventoux represents ideal terrain for great climbers and will be the definitive proving ground to understand whether the Swiss champion can truly dream of reaching Nice with the symbol of leadership. So far she has demonstrated solidity, clarity of mind, and a perfectly organized team. But the "Giant of Provence" grants no favors to anyone. And it is precisely on its slopes that the Tour de France Femmes could begin to write the decisive chapter in the battle for the yellow jersey.