Grace Brown had her eyes on the stage 8 time trial even before the Tour de France femme started, and as the race approached, it became an even more important stage for FDJ-Suez, her last hope for a podium finish in this event.

In the end, however, there was only a two-second gap between Brown and the podium, with the Australian rider in fourth place. Marlen Reusser won the race in 29:15, with GC winner Demi Vollering in second by 10 seconds, and Lotte Kopecky finished 38 seconds behind Reusser's blistering time, pushing Brown off the podium. Brown was 40 seconds behind.

Brown, who belongs to FDJ Suez, had taken a race break before the Tour de France Femme to prepare for the Glasgow World Championships and the Tour of France. The time trial was the stage she focused on, and as she lay on the road after the stage, it was clear that she had given her all in the race against time.

"I felt pretty good considering the week I've had," the Australian time trial champion told Australian broadcaster SBS in an interview after the finish. 'Considering the week I've had, I felt pretty good.

"I lost my visor, I lost my chain, so it wasn't a smooth ride. We did the best we could.

The rider who started in 91st place was at least in the lead for a few minutes. However, in an interview shortly after the finish, Brown foreshadowed that her time in the hot seat might be over before she even sat in the hot seat.

"I think Reusser is very close now, and she might do a faster time than me, but that was to be expected," Brown told SBS with a shrug.

Reusser was seen waving off the team cars of those who had caught up with him along the way, but Braun quickly took over first place.

While losing second place to the yellow-clad rider may not have been a shock, it was perhaps a bit unexpected, as Kopecky continued to perform well from the sprints and climbs to the time trial on the final stage. As a result, Brown disappeared from the podium. According to the Australian broadcaster, it was "not the easiest time trial ever."

"Time trials are always mentally challenging events, but with the fatigue from seven days of racing, not just physical fatigue but mental fatigue, it's really hard to have the concentration needed for a time trial."

However, the 31-year-old is lined up as one of the key contenders for the elite women's time trial at the Glasgow World Championships on Thursday, August 10.