Favorites stage 4 Paris-Nice 2025 | Vingegaard back on the climb where he struggled two years ago
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Follow us on GoogleAfter the team time trial, the GC riders on day four of Paris-Nice will have their first chance to make their presence felt. The 163.4-kilometer stage, starting in Vichy, includes six categorized climbs. Tough enough to make a difference, we think at IDLProCycling.com.
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Course stage 4 Paris-Nice 2025
Now that we have had two stages for sprinters and one team time trial, Paris-Nice heads into the mountains for the first time. It starts from Vichy, which we mainly know as the headquarters of the Vichy government during the Second World War.
From there, the road climbs gently for about forty kilometers, ending at the Cote de Lavoine (7.6 km at 4.1%), ideal for forming a strong breakaway group. After that, we have a transition of about fifty kilometers until the two-stage climb of the Côte de la Croix Bruyère (3.2 km at 5.0%) and the Côte du Canon (3.6 km at 6.7%).
After those two climbs, the route levels off somewhat, but in the end, this stage mainly centers around the final climb to La Loges des Gardes. This 6.7-kilometer-long climb (at 7.1 percent) can be called fairly regular on average, but differences are definitely possible. For example, in 2023, Tadej Pogacar beat Jonas Vingegaard by 43 seconds and casually attacked from the wheel of the Dane.
Climbs
33.6 km: Cote de Lavoine (7.6 km a 4.1%)
79.2 km: Cote de la Bruyere (3.9 km a 4.8%)
106.0 km: Cote de la Croix Bruyere (3.2 km a 5.0%)
111.9 km: Cote du Canon (3.6 km a 6.7%)
150.4 km: Cote de la Chabanne (2.7 km a 5.3%)
163.4 km: La Loge des Gardes (6.7 km a 7.1%)
33.6 km: Cote de Lavoine (7.6 km a 4.1%)
79.2 km: Cote de la Bruyere (3.9 km a 4.8%)
106.0 km: Cote de la Croix Bruyere (3.2 km a 5.0%)
111.9 km: Cote du Canon (3.6 km a 6.7%)
150.4 km: Cote de la Chabanne (2.7 km a 5.3%)
163.4 km: La Loge des Gardes (6.7 km a 7.1%)
Times
Start: 06:30 AM EST
Finish: 10:29 AM EST
Start: 06:30 AM EST
Finish: 10:29 AM EST
Weather stage 4 Paris-Nice 2025
Some rain is expected in France on Wednesday, at temperatures of around 5 to 10 degrees Celsius, the riders must dress warmly. The wind is not likely to have much impact on the stage.
Favorites stage 4 Paris-Nice 2025
Jonas Vingegaard still has unfinished business with the climb to La Loge des Gardes after 2023. So don't be surprised if the Dane from Visma | Lease a Bike wants to show off his skills on this day as Tadej Pogacar did last Saturday again in Strade Bianche. The Dutch team can also count on defending champion and leader Matteo Jorgenson as a second option.
If you say Visma | Lease a Bike, you say UAE Emirates-XRG, without Pogacar, but with Joao Almeida, Brandon McNulty, and Pavel Sivakov. Of the three, Almeida seems to be the strongest on paper. If the Portuguese had the legs of the Tour of the Algarve, he could just about approach Vingegaard's level. Based on the explosiveness of one of those climbs, guys like Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) and Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) will also aim for that.
Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe will use Aleksandr Vlasov and Florian Lipowitz as their leaders, while Jayco AlUla will want to test out 2024 sensation Ben O'Connor for the first time. Other climbing types are Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R), Thymen Arensman (INEOS Grenadiers), Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost), Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious), Ilan Van Wilder (Soudal Quick-Step) and Harold Tejada (XDS-Astana). At the same time, Movistar has two outsiders in the ranks, Ivan Romeo and Pablo Castrillo.
Favorites stage 4 Paris-Nice 2025, according to IDLProCycling.com
Top favorite: Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Outsiders: Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike), Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek), Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) and Joao Almeida (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Long shots: Aleksandr Vlasov, Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Ben O'Connor (Jayco AlUla), Brandon McNulty (UAE Emirates-XRG), Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R), Thymen Arensman (INEOS Grenadiers), Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) and Harold Tejada (XDS-Astana)
Outsiders: Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike), Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek), Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) and Joao Almeida (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Long shots: Aleksandr Vlasov, Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Ben O'Connor (Jayco AlUla), Brandon McNulty (UAE Emirates-XRG), Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R), Thymen Arensman (INEOS Grenadiers), Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) and Harold Tejada (XDS-Astana)
Read also
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- The independent investigation is the important bit now. It needs to give current staff a safe way to speak honestly, not just become another round of public statements.michael5413-11-2026
- One Lombardia doesn’t tell us how Seixas will handle a full Grand Tour. I’d rather see him develop steadily than have every result turned into a Pogačar comparison.samanthak12-11-2026
- Pogacar is 30 already? I thought he was younger. If he keeps winning like this, how long can he realistically ride at the top?jeremya12-11-2026
- Interesting that Thomas made the comparison while speaking to Rowe, given Decathlon’s hopes of keeping Seixas and the reports linking INEOS with him. Praise, or a subtle message to a potential signing?gearguru3312-11-2026
- Seixas winning Il Lombardia at this age is a huge statement. The Pogačar comparisons are inevitable, but Thomas is right to leave room for both of them to keep improving—Pog is still setting the bar.robert6512-11-2026
- A fascinating career, but the article leans heavily on his side of the story. Were the three disqualifications all for the same equipment rule, or were there different issues each time?michael5412-11-2026
- I’m still not sure how the handlebar rules work. If another rider can rest their wrists on the bars, why was Van Schip disqualified for his position?jennifer1912-11-2026
- The UCI really needs clearer, consistently enforced rules on bike setups and riding positions. If Van Schip was being told different things from race to race, no wonder he got fed up.patriciaw12-11-2026
- Two world track titles and three pro wins is a serious career, whatever the controversies. Shame he felt the sport stopped listening to him. Hope Rotterdam gives him the send-off he deserves.tourdeforce912-11-2026
- If he finished ninth at the Tour, why didn’t he get a stage win too? I’m still trying to understand how the overall standings work.julien11-11-2026