Marlen Reusser closed the 2025 Vuelta a Burgos Féminas in the same way she lit up the previous stage – by winning. The Swiss rider added a second consecutive victory in the 9.4km individual time trial from Villasana de Mena to Lezana de Mena, cementing her place at the top of the general classification in a final show of power and precision.
Coming off her decisive solo attack on the Picón Blanco, Reusser entered the final day with a comfortable buffer and never looked in danger. Her time of 13:03 was enough to beat Juliette Labous by six seconds, with Elisa Longo Borghini another two seconds further back. With that, Reusser wrapped up the overall title, finishing 1:51 ahead of Longo Borghini, while Yara Kastelijn dropped to third overall, at 1:58.
“I felt good and this time trial suited me,” Reusser said after the stage. “It was short and quite technical, which made it interesting. The team did a perfect job all week – even today, for an individual test, everything was prepared in detail so I could just focus on riding.”
It marks Reusser’s second win of the season and comes just weeks after finishing second overall at La Vuelta Femenina. For a rider who spent much of 2024 recovering from a devastating crash that left her with a fractured jaw, lost teeth and ongoing respiratory issues, the result is more than just a return to form, it’s a full reset.
“Last year was incredibly hard,” she said. “Now I feel like I’m building again, and to win two stages and the overall here is a great feeling.”
Behind her, Longo Borghini posted a consistent performance, while Kastelijn couldn’t quite replicate her climbing legs from stage 3 and had to settle for third overall. Lotte Kopecky clocked the fifth-best time of the day, 12 seconds behind Reusser, and climbed to 11th in the final GC.
Photo Credit: Canyon SRAMOthers impress against the clock as well
Further down the standings, Paula Patiño was the top Colombian in 14th overall, while Franziska Koch delivered a top-10 on the day, finishing ninth. Her teammate Nienke Vinke, meanwhile, successfully defended her white jersey as best young rider and moved up to ninth on GC.
Elsewhere, there were encouraging signs from Zoe Bäckstedt in her first race back from a mid-season break. She finished sixth on the stage, after briefly leading the timing sheets. “I’m pleased with the ride,” she said. “There were a few sections I might’ve taken differently, but after a break and some heavy legs, I’m happy.”
Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka also impressed with a strong TT to move up to 15th in the general classification. “I didn’t like the course during recon, but once I got going, I felt focused and pushed harder than I expected,” she reflected.
The final standings underline a race dominated by Reusser but with key takeaways for several riders. Mireia Benito ended 12th overall as the best-placed Spaniard, while the likes of Bäckstedt, Koch, and Vinke continue to underline their steady development.
For Reusser and Movistar, the momentum now shifts to bigger targets. The Swiss rider is expected to lead the team at the Tour de Suisse, Giro d’Italia and Tour de France Femmes. After a season of setbacks, she’s now looking like one of the few riders truly capable of winning across climbing and time trial terrain.
“Spain’s been good to me,” Reusser said. “I won here before, but this one feels different – maybe because I didn’t expect it to come together so well. It’s been a long road, but this is a good sign that we’re back on track.”
Photo Credit: Vuelta a Burgos2025 Vuelta a Burgos Stage 4 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
2025 Vuelta a Burgos GC result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
