La Vuelta Ciclista a España 2025 Stage 4

August 26, 2025 When riding from Italy into France, there is no choice but to go over some fierce mountains and that is what the peloton must do today. At 206KM, it's the longest stage of this Vuelta. Leaving from Susa, site of the Susa Cathedral built in 1029 and a Roman Amphitheater, the race heads West and starts climbing almost immediately. The first pass is the Puerto Exiles, a 5.7KM climb at 5.6%. There is almost no descent as the climbing continues with the Col de Montgenèvre (8.4KM at 6%) which was part of Stage 4 of the 2024 Tour de France. The pressure can finally come off the pedals for the 10KM descent into Briançon but there is one more test. Out of Briançon and through Le Monêtier-les-Bains starts the Col du Lautaret, a 13.8KM climb at 3.5% which takes the race up to 2,000M above sea level. There is no Galibier today however because the riders turn and descend for the next 80KM through Le Bourg d'Oisans at just 400M above sea level. One more test on the unclassified climb of the Col de Comboire (2.3KM at 6.5%) takes the race into Grenoble, down the Isère River valley and into Voiron for the finish. The last corner is at 300M where the road rises at 4% all the way to the finish line. Live coverage began with 119KM to go, a few kilometers after the summit of the Col du Lautaret, and five riders were in the break including Sean Quinn of EF-Education EasyPost, Joel Nicolau of Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, Louis Vervaeke of Soudal Quickstep, Kamiel Bonneu of Intermarché-Wanty, and Mario Aparicio of Burgos-Burpellet BH. Nicolau scored 11 points across the three summits earlier in the day which would be enough to take over Mountains classification for tomorrow. The group had 1 minute 40 seconds and once again, Lidl-Trek were chasing in the bunch. Through Le Freney-d'Oisans with 91KM to go, Lidl-Trek had caught the break and the race was all together again. A counter attack went immediately with Aparicio again but Lidl-Trek wasn't interested in a break being up the road and brought him back into the group. Burgos-Burpellet BH wanted to be at the front of the race so Sinuhé Fernández attacked with 82KM to go. His chances were next to none with Lidl-Trek getting a hand from Israel-Premier Tech and Alpecin-Deceuninck but he pushed on nonetheless but he was brought back before the start of the Col de Comboire. The bunch rode a controlled pace and were all together coming into Grenoble with 40KM to go. Coming into Novarey for the intermediate sprint, Lidl-Trek led out Pedersen who won the sprint ahead of Ethan Vernon and Jake Stewart of Israel-Premier Tech. Bruno Armirail of Decathlon AG2R attacked after the sprint and built a gap of 50 seconds. The speed was up with 17KM to go as the bunch crossed the Isère River. Armirail was reabsorbed with 15KM to go by the peloton in their drag racing formation. The final 10KM was in and out of small towns and with the stress in the bunch, there were a few small crashes. Arkéa-B&B Hotels, Ineos, Israel-Premier Tech, Lotto, and Lidl-Trek were all fighting for the front with 3.5KM to go which pushed the speed well above 55KM/HR. Under the last kilometer, Alpecin-Deceuninck arrived with two men in front of Jasper Philipsen. They were beside Ineos with Picnic-PostNL making their first appearance at the front as well. Philipsen was led through the final corner at 300M in second wheel and was dropped 150M from the line as the road rose to the line with the stunning Église Saint-Bruno de Voiron in the backdrop. Ben Turner of Ineos and Philipsen were locked together side by side but the Brit had more punch on the rise to the line and took his maiden Grand Tour stage win. Philipsen hung on for second with his teammate, Edward Planckaert, in third. All the work Lidl-Trek did for Pedersen only resulted in a sixth place for the Dane. David Gaudu of Groupama-FDJ finished in 25th place while race leader Jonas Vingegaard of Visma-Lease a Bike crossed the line in 42nd. On count back, this put Gaudu into the Red Jersey as leader of La Vuelta.