What a distinction a 12 months makes. Twelve months in the past, Marlen Reusser was enduring a difficult season. A crash on the Tour of Flanders left her with a fractured jaw, and sickness quickly adopted, sidelining her for the remainder of the season
Fighting what she described as “a so-called post-infectious syndrome brought on by a viral an infection,” the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist within the particular person time trial was finally pressured to withdraw from the Olympic Video games and miss the World Championships held in her house nation of Switzerland.
Now again to full well being, Reusser has returned to the highest stage of the game together with her new staff, Movistar. The Swiss rider made a right away impression. She opened her season with a victory on the Trofeo Palma in January, adopted by second total at Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, tenth on the Tour of Flanders, and sixth at Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes.
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Reusser then battled for stage wins and the general victory on the La Vuelta Femenina, the place she finally completed second total to winner Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez).
“It’s a really particular consequence. One 12 months in the past, I used to be in such a nasty state, and now I’m second within the Vuelta. Attaining this after this era is unbelievable and tremendous particular. I actually loved racing the entire week. It was very nice to race with the staff: good feeling, pleasure, cool ladies, cool workers.” Reusser stated.
The Movistar staff didn’t let the chaotic staff time trial in stage 1 impression their focus for the subsequent phases. On stage 5, Reusser was the one rider to initially stick with Vollering when the Dutch rider attacked on the ending climb, and held on for second on the stage, shifting as much as third total, only one second behind Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime).
The final classification was selected the ultimate mountain stage to the Alto de Cotobello, the place Reusser was a part of the elite group battling for the win. Though Reusser was not in a position to observe Vollering’s blistering tempo within the ultimate kilometre, she was in a position to drop Van der Breggen to assert second place and transfer up one spot within the GC.
“I’m tremendous glad. What else can I say! I’m simply tremendous glad. I believe we did a extremely good week of racing with the staff. I believe we performed a essential half within the unfolding of the race. It’s unhappy that the staff could not win a stage, as a result of we had been actually dominating the race itself every day. However to be 2nd total is de facto good and it makes us actually glad and pleased with our entire efficiency. We had been tremendous robust, actually.”
For the second time in 2025, Reusser completed as runner-up to Vollering, first at Setmana Ciclista Valenciana and now at La Vuelta Femenina. However she stays motivated and optimistic.
“It was stunning. I believe I may be assured in view of the upcoming challenges, but additionally I nonetheless have some work to do. I believe there’s not quite a bit lacking – however a bit bit. I’m bettering and my numbers are getting higher and higher. I can’t say I’ll beat Demi, however I’ll preserve making an attempt to get there. Let’s see.”
