Reusser Fends Off Dramatic Chase on the Col de la Croix to Seal Third Home Tour de Suisse Title
Marlen Reusser delivered one of the standout rides of her career on home roads, soloing clear on the Col de la Croix to win stage 5 of the 2026 Tour de Suisse Women and secure the overall title for a third time. The Movistar rider held off a dramatic chase in the closing kilometres to claim back-to-back victories in the Swiss race in front of an adoring home crowd.
The final stage delivered the drama the general classification battle had promised. Reusser launched her decisive attack on the slopes of the Col de la Croix and quickly opened a gap, but the chasers refused to concede. As the Swiss rider tired in the finale, the pursuit closed alarmingly, yet Reusser dug deep to preserve enough of her advantage to cross the line first and confirm the overall.
In the final general classification, Reusser topped the standings by 36 seconds over Demi Vollering's nearest challengers, with Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney a further margin back in the battle for the podium places. The result underlined Reusser's status as one of the strongest stage racers in the women's peloton when the road tilts skywards.
Notably, defending Giro d'Italia Women champion Demi Vollering opted to skip the race entirely, choosing to recover from her gruelling overall victory in Italy and focus her preparation on the Tour de France Femmes. Her absence left the Swiss race wide open, and Reusser seized the opportunity in front of her home fans.
For Reusser, the victory carries added significance given the injury setbacks she has battled in recent seasons. Overcoming those difficulties to claim a third Tour de Suisse Women title represents a major confidence boost as she builds towards the season's biggest objective, where she will be among the riders aiming to challenge the dominant FDJ-SUEZ squad in July.
With the Tour de France Femmes now firmly on the horizon, the women's peloton heads into its final preparation phase with the GC picture sharpening. Reusser's commanding display in Switzerland, combined with Vollering's measured approach to her own build-up, sets the stage for a compelling battle when the biggest race of the women's calendar gets under way.