After an opening team time trial and two uphill finishes, the peloton will be treated to a somewhat 'flatter' affair on stage 4 from Carcassonne into Foix on Tuesday.
The route crosses Cathar Country before tackling some of the less challenging climbs in the Ariège, and it could be a perfect day for a potential breakaway to make it to the line.
The breakaway was denied on the previous day's stage 3, which finished at Les Angles, and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) won, taking the yellow jersey. So, perhaps this will be a chance for breakaway redemption.
The peloton will start from the medieval city of Carcassonne, head east across hilly, rugged terrain, picking off four climbs over 181.9km: the Col de Bedos, Col du Paradis, Col de Coudons, and finally the Col de Montségur.
If the sprinters want to fight for the 50 points on the line, they'll have to get over the last summit 34km from the finish, but have a long descent all the way to the finish line in Foix to chase back on. The obstacles on the way to the line, however, will extend beyond the terrain with temperatures expected to reach 37°C at the time of the stage finish.
The five finishes in Foix have rewarded opportunists, most recently Canada's Hugo Houle in 2022, at the end of a 40km solo breakaway.
Watch for the breakaway to once again gain time on the field during the 2026 edition of the Tour de France as the race heads into Foix.
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Profile of stage 4 at the 2026 Tour de France
(Image credit: ASO)
Route map of stage 4 at the 2026 Tour de France
(Image credit: ASO)
Kirsten Frattini has been the Editor of Cyclingnews since December 2025, overseeing editorial operations and output across the brand and delivering quality, engaging content.
She manages global budgets, racing & events, production scheduling, and contributor commissions, collaborating across content sections and teams in the UK, Europe, North America, and Australia to ensure audience and subscription growth across the brand.
Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.
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