Tuesday's Stage 4 of the 2024 Tour de France will see the race leave Italy after three colourful days of exciting racing in front of the welcoming and passionate Italian crowds.
It’s only the fourth day of action and this is a real test for the riders as the Tour heads into the high mountains, for a short (139.6km) stage, which is going to be highly demanding. The stage commences in Pinerolo, where Fausto Coppi won a stage of the 1949 Giro, an epic edition of the race in which he triumphed overall - after duelling with fellow Italian legend, Gino Bartali. Pinerolo was also the scene of a 2011 Tour de France stage win for Edvald Boasson Hagen.
Warming up with a climb to the Sestrieres mountains the breakaway attackers may look to make the first move, with polka dot and green jersey owner Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X) likely to be amongst them if he has the legs after his considerable efforts thus far. The race then leaves Italy after the long climb to the Sestrieres resort, where Coppi also triumphed in the 1952 Tour stage which finished there. The border of France is then subsequently reached at the Col de Montgenevre and after ascending the Lautaret pass, the riders will tackle the 2,642-metre Galibier.
This will be the first opportunity for the favourites to test themselves in the high mountains, with Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) in the Yellow Jersey certain to come under pressure from the likes of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and the other GC favourites. After the Galibier climb the riders will then descend rapidly from the summit, fighting for precious seconds as they fly towards the finish line in Valloire.
