Tour de France 2024 stage 4 preview: Map and profile of 140km route as GC riders battle on Col du Galibier

After the tension and excitement of the first two days, a quieter third stage followed, as the peloton decided to temper its attacks and a breakaway failed to materialize. Instead, the sprinters rallied for a fight to the finish in Turin, where Biniam Girmay pulled off a stunning kick to become the first black African to win a Tour de France stage.

They took it easy, partly with an eye to today’s stage: the race finally leaves Italy (which was an even better starting location than organizers had hoped) and enters France, via a day of extremely tough climbing in the first mountain stage of the 2024 Tour.

The peloton heads uphill from the start, winding west from Pinerolo along the relentlessly long climb of Sestrieres (39.9km at 3.7%), with many riders seeing themselves fall at the top. They then cross the border into France on their way to the Col de Montgenevre (8.3km at 5.9%), another test.

After a fast descent comes the impressive Col du Galibier, the first out of category climb of the race. The first rider to reach the top wins this year’s Souvenir Henri Desgrange for reaching the highest point of the Tour (2,642m), and more importantly, there are bonus seconds of eight, five and two for the first three to reach the top. From there, the riders race to the stage finish in Valloire.

Pogacar’s UAE Emirates will be determined to protect his yellow jersey, which will require him to keep a close eye on any breakaway that forms early in the day. The Galibier will see anyone who isn’t feeling well weeded out, and only the strongest climbers will be left in a small group at the front at the end of the climb. That group could be as small as two riders, as Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard go to war in a duel that will provide the first real clues as to who will be the yellow shirt in Nice.

Whatever happens, it will undoubtedly be an exciting and action-packed performance.

Map and profile of phase 4

Phase 4 profile (Let our)

Complete stage guide for the 2024 Tour de France.

Start time

The stage is scheduled to begin at 12:15 BST and is expected to finish around 16:00. Find out how to watch on TV here.

Prediction

Everything is set for Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard to duel near the top of the Galibier, and if they do, few will be able to live with them. And if Vineyard can stay on Pogacar’s rear wheel, he has the slightly better descending skills to outpace his rival and win the race to the finish in Valloire.