João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) outkicked Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) to the line to take the summit victory in stage 4 by one second. Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl – Trek) was a close third at two seconds.
Stage 4 featured a dramatic and eventful route from Vichy to La Loge des Gardes, covering 163.4 kilometers, with a final climb, La Loge des Gardes, averaging 7.1%. The stage was marked mid-stage by extreme weather conditions of rain, sleet, and hail that forced the race to be temporarily neutralized and restarted.
The parcours included several categorized climbs, with the final ascent to La Loge des Gardes (6.7km/7.1%) serving as the decisive point for general classification contenders.
From the outset, a breakaway group formed, but their advantage fluctuated due to the peloton’s controlled pace. Mid-stage, riders encountered severe weather conditions, including heavy rain and hail, leading to a temporary neutralization of the race. This interruption was prompted by a crash involving a race motorcycle, which caused confusion and discomfort among the riders. Jonas Vingegaard, seeking refuge from the cold, described it as one of the coldest days he’s experienced on a bike, suggesting that racing under such conditions was unwise.
After a pause, racing resumed, and the breakaway’s lead diminished rapidly. As the peloton approached the base of La Loge des Gardes, attacks ensued, with Vingegaard and Almeida among the most prominent. Vingegaard, initially leading the general classification, faced challenges as Almeida launched a decisive move in the final kilometer. Almeida’s surge proved successful, and he crossed the finish line first, with Vingegaard close behind.
The stage’s outcome sparked discussions regarding the race’s handling of the adverse weather conditions. Vingegaard’s comments highlighted concerns about rider safety and comfort.
“We should never have ridden this final. It was freezing and no one in the peloton felt any warmth. After the restart I didn’t get warm anymore and even now I still feel hypothermic,” Vingegaard said afterwards.
In contrast, Almeida felt that the worst of the storm had passed and saw no reason to halt the race, explaining afterwards that he also suffered in the cold.
“I felt really good, even though I suffered a bit because of the cold temperatures. The final climb wasn’t steep enough to really thin out the group. A lot happened in this stage of course, with snow along the way. But we never gave up and I think we deserved it.”
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