The Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes stage 4 is underway, with a 167.5km route from Puy-en-Velay to Montrond-les-Bains. The race is expected to be a battle between the breakaway and the teams with versatile sprinters, with six categorised climbs in the first 110km and a flat finale. The start has been delayed due to a crash, and UAE Team Emirates-XRG's Ivo Oliveira has abandoned the race due to illness.
The race is heating up, with the riders rolling away from the start line in La Puy en Velay. The neutral zone will last around 10 minutes before they reach kilometre 0. The first categorised climb of the day is the Col de la Croix de l'Arbre, a 4km ascent at 4.1%.
The race is expected to be a strategic affair, with the attackers hoping to get away from the teams containing fast men. Look out for the likes of Dorian Godon (Netcompany Ineos), Michael Matthews (Jayco AlUla) and Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) if things do come back together for a sprint.
The race is also expected to be a test of strategy, with the GC co-leader Kévin Vauquelin voicing his frustration after Netcompany Ineos were denied a stage win in the TTT. Vauquelin said, 'I don't think that would have been my strategy.'
The race is shaping up to be an exciting one, with the battle between the breakaway and the teams with versatile sprinters expected to ensue. The stage 4 of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is a must-watch for cycling fans, with the race expected to be a strategic and tactical affair.
