Critérium du Dauphiné stage 4 time trial start times

The city centre of Montbrison will host the start of stage 4 of the Critérium du Dauphiné with Wednesday's flat 31.9 kilometres likely to accelerate the sorting process for the General Classification contenders. 

It's a relatively straightforward opening 11.6km as the route heads south from Montbrison toward the first time check at Mornand-en-Forez. After that, the number of twists and turns builds as they riders wind across the Loire, with a sharp turn on the way to the second intermediate checkpoint at Chalain-d’Uzore at kilometre 21.

The riders then face a reasonably straight stretch up to and past Montverdun, but there are plenty more corners to contend with in the final 8km before the route crosses the finish line in Saint-Etienne-le-Molard, by the Château de La Bâtie d’Urfé.

Briton Matthew Walls (Bora-Hansgrohe), as last placed rider, will start the stage 4 race against the clock at 13:06 local time while Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) will be off the start ramp last, at 16:00.

The Jumbo-Visma rider enters the stage in the overall leader's jersey with a six second gap to stage 3 winner David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ and Van Aert will be hoping to capitalise on the work he has done in the discipline to hold onto yellow through the flat time trial.

Victor Lafay (Cofidis), who came third on stage 3, sits 12 seconds back and then there is a large group of GC hopefuls – including Primoz Roglič (Jumbo-Visma), Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers) and Ben O'Connor (AG2R Citroën) – among the riders 16 seconds in arrears. Of those riders populating fourth to 26th spot overall, Geoghegan Hart will be the first of the time-tied key contenders off the start ramp at 15:12, while race favourite Roglič rolls out at 15:46.

The time trial, also a crucial test against the clock before the Tour de France, is followed by two undulating stages that take the race toward a final mountainous weekend in the Alps.

Critérium du Dauphiné stage 4 start times