2018 Tour de France: Stage 4 Preview
La Baule - Sarzeau, 195km
This is the stage of the holiday destinations and the first of three Breton stages. It starts from La Baule, known for its 9km beach.
It was the venue of the Grand Départ 30 years ago for the only Tour de France that had a preface rather than a prologue. It didn't count for the overall classification, but it was a 3.8km team time trial with the last kilometre to be covered solo by one rider per team.
Stage 4 won't be the hardest of the 105th Tour de France for sure. Going through Pontchâteau, which hosted the cyclo-cross world championship on several occasions, the course brings the riders back to the Atlantique in the beautiful gulf of the Morbihan [the name of that province means the small sea, literally translated from Breton language] and precisely to the city of Sarzeau, whose mayor is the president of the Union Cycliste Internationale David Lappartient.
The 4km straight line - the longest in French cycling since the avenue de Grammont can't be fully used for Paris-Tours anymore - is suitable for a splendid sprint finish.
Matt White says: The roads around this part of France are really sticky. They’re tight, too, with lots of hedges either side, and if you’ve got wet weather and wind then it adds another dynamic to the race. Even if this ends in a bunch sprint it could prove be a hectic day in the saddle for a lot of riders, especially after going full-gas in the TTT the day before.
Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*
Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets
After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59
Join now for unlimited access
Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Niewiadoma, Chabbey, Dygert lead Canyon-Sram team with 'fire in the belly' at Tour of Flanders
'Our team has never won this race before, and it's something we're after' says perennial contender Niewiadoma -
Josh Tarling shows Classics potential with determined Dwars Door Vlaanderen performance
Welshman takes sixth after dangling on and off the front group for final 50 kilometres -
Dwars door Vlaanderen crash update – Surgery for Van Aert, Stuyven and Kirsch
Crash impacts riders and teams ahead of Sunday's Tour of Flanders -
‘A beautiful sport with a dark edge’ – Wout van Aert suffers the cruellest blow
Belgian's ill-fated relationship with Ronde and Roubaix continues after crash ends his Classics campaign