UAE Team L'IMAD's GC leader Elisa Longo Borghini suffered a mechanical in the finale of the Tour de France Femmes stage 4 time trial, losing seconds in an otherwise strong ride.
The Italian had to change bikes in the final kilometres, ultimately finishing 1:02 down on winner Marlen Reusser (Movistar) in 10th, but arguably third best of the serious GC contenders, still gaining time on almost all the other overall hopefuls.
She had been flying in the first half of the stage and up the climb, only 21 seconds down on Reusser at the first time check – and faster than Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) – but needing to change her bike cost her in the second half of the effort.
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She was only seven seconds off finishing sixth on the stage.
"Clearly I'm disappointed, because you never want to have a mechanical at two to go, but it is what it is, and you have to accept it," she said at the finish. "I was feeling very well [before the mechanical]."
Despite the bike change, Longo Borghini moved up two spots on GC on Tuesday, now sitting fifth overall, 1:03 down on new yellow jersey Reusser and 49 seconds down on Vollering in second.
Reusser and Demi are the main beneficiaries from the TT, but many other GC contenders are now sitting on fairly similar times, with the effort against the clock significant but not the be-all and end-all of the overall race here.
For Longo Borghini, the disappointment of losing time due to a mechanical was obviously fresh at the finish, but bigger picture, she didn't have many concerns.
"There is still Mont Ventoux, and there are plenty of stages where Pauline [Ferrand-Prevot, who finished 2:12 down] can gain time. I don't think the time trial will be decisive for the GC."
All eyes are of course on Ventoux, but there are plenty more challenges between the TT and the Bald Mountain, and if the first stages are anything to go by, the GC contenders need to be alert every day – which could certainly play to the strengths of the ever-aggressive Longo Borghini.
The Italian wouldn't be drawn on if there were any particular stages or moments she had her eyes on going forward, but did say that "Tomorrow [stage 5] will be an interesting day for sure.
Featuring fewer than nine categorised climbs on the road from Mâcon to Belleville-en-Beaujolais, stage 5's course has been likened to a World Championships course and will be sure to shake up the overall standings – perhaps even more than today.
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