Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026 stage 4 preview: Climbs and wind set to cause chaos for favourites

After the team time trial, the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes continues on Wednesday with a transition stage from Le-Puy-en-Velay to Montrond-les-Bains. Will it again be a day for the breakaway, or will the strong sprinters fight for the win? IDL Pro Cycling breaks down the stage.

The fourth stage of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes — the former Critérium du Dauphiné — is 167 kilometres long and features six classified climbs: three fourth-category climbs, two third-category climbs and one second-category climb.

All of those climbs are concentrated in roughly the first part of the stage. After kilometre 110, the route goes only downhill and flat towards the finish in Montrond-les-Bains. If the peloton wants to bring back the break there, a lot of speed can be generated.

There is immediate scope for a strong group to form from the start, because the Col de la Croix de l’Arbre rises for around 4 kilometres right away. The main point of the stage comes in the middle, with five of the six climbs packed into just 50 kilometres.

The finale is very straightforward, with a final straight 11 kilometres long. There is also a tailwind there, blowing slightly from behind at force 4 on the Beaufort scale.

Times
Start: 1:15 p.m CET
Finish: around 5:09 p.m CET

Conditions are fine in France, where it will be around 20 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. The wind, however, is fairly strong: mostly headwind in the first part of the stage, but slightly tailwind in the finale.

The general classification was shaken up in Tuesday’s team time trial, but EF Education-EasyPost still has the yellow jersey in the team with Alex Baudin. Because this stage does not really seem suited to a battle between the leaders, the big question is who will seize the many rolling climbs.

After the team time trial, there are still 13 riders within a minute of yellow, with plenty more not far behind. Who will EF let ride? That means we are looking beyond the top 30 in the standings.

What about the legs of rouleurs such as Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious), Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis), Marco Frigo (NSN) and Julien Bernard (Lidl-Trek)? They are all riders who can handle hills of 4 to 5 percent and could strike with an attack in the finale.

Other names in that category are Pascal Eenkhoorn (Soudal Quick-Step), Per Strand Hagenes (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Iván Romeo (Movistar). Lotto-Intermarché will be hoping for the unpredictability of Georg Zimmermann and Baptiste Veistroffer, neither of whom is slow.

The strength of the breakaway will normally determine whether the attackers make it, although EF’s desire to keep yellow will also play a role. If dangerous riders are up the road, or if riders see the final 30 flat kilometres as unattractive, things could also come back together in the finale.

Add in possible echelons pressure in the final stretch, and maybe well-climbing sprinters can also hope. Netcompany INEOS can then build on Dorian Godon, Cofidis can rely on Bryan Coquard for a hilly finish, and NSN will be hoping for Hugo Hofstetter.

Ethan Hayter (Quick Step), Iván García Cortina (Movistar), Matteo Trentin (Tudor) and Michael Matthews (Jayco AlUla) would also, on their best day, sign up for such a stage, but how much are they actually up to it? The same certainly applies to Wout van Aert, who was dropped very early in the team time trial...

Top favorites: Per Strand Hagenes (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Dorian Godon (Netcompany INEOS)
Outsiders: Iván Romeo (Movistar), Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), Hugo Hofstetter (NSN), and Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Long shots: Pascal Eenkhoorn (Soudal Quick-Step), Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious), Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis), Marco Frigo (NSN), Julien Bernard (Lidl-Trek), Georg Zimmermann and Baptiste Veistroffer (both Lotto-Intermarché), Ethan Hayter (Quick-Step), Iván Garcia Cortina (Movistar), Matteo Trentin (Tudor) and Michael Matthews (Jayco AlUla)

Author: David Bavin-Hobbs - [email protected]