Mat Hayman's view
On paper, this looks like a fairly flat stage, and once again the sprinters' teams will want to control the race. The GC teams will be keeping out of trouble and will be waiting for the next few stages. The sprinters' lead-out trains will be putting all their winter-work into practice, and it could be that one of the more well-oiled machines from the previous years come out on top, simply because they're used to working with each other.
The heat, as throughout the race, is going to be a factor. The southern hemisphere riders will be used to it, and they might have spent most of the off-season in those conditions, whereas some of the Europeans – although they might have been in Australia for some time – might never like it or get used to it. At the end of the day, you're either good in the heat or you're not.
-
Daxton Mock and Cécile Lejeune snare Belgian Waffle Ride California wins
Courtney Sherwell hold off chase to take second place in elite women's race while Lance Haidet and Matthew Wilson clinch second and third in men's race -
Who could be the Isaac del Toro of this year's Giro d'Italia? There's one GC frontrunner, but there's plenty of chances for surprises too – Analysis
Behind Jonas Vingegaard, the wide open GC could see some unexpected riders in the battle for pink this May -
'You never know if you don't try' - Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney unfazed after headwind scuppers attacks into A Coruña at the Vuelta Femenina
General classification not the only goal for Polish star in Spanish stage race -
La Vuelta Femenina GC standings – Who is leading the race after stage 3?
General classification standings in the first Grand Tour of 2026
