Vuelta a España stage 4 LIVE – Race all together before intermediate sprint

The average speed today has been 41.2kph after 4 hours of racing. Visma-Lease a Bike, Lidl-Trek, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Bahrain Victorious and Groupama-FDJ challenging for the lead of the peloton.

Søren Kragh (Lidl-Trek)
Sergio Samitier (Cofidis)

The former gets a bike change whereas the other sorts the issue on the bike.

2025-08-26T13:45:12.841Z

As the timing goes over 4 hours on the road the peloton is strung out after a calm ascent then a rapid descent.

Harold Tejada (XDS-Astana)

The Colombian leader of the team require assistance from his team car.

2025-08-26T13:43:53.487Z

UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Movistar and Visma-Lease a Bike up the pace on the descent with Lidl-Trek and Groupama-FDJ just disappearing for the moment.

2025-08-26T13:39:32.831Z

A really solid ride by Fernandez but he has finally been dragged back again with 46km to go.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-08-26T13:36:13.890Z

Lidl-Trek, Alpecin-Deceuninck, Visma-Lease a Bike, Groupama-FDJ and UAE Team Emirates-XRG lead the peloton.

2025-08-26T13:35:42.010Z

Fernandez looks to really be labouring on this climb with the peloton now rapidly closing in on the Spanish rider.

2025-08-26T13:33:46.711Z

The peloton looks calm but teams are getting into colour order as they prepare to take on a small climb.

The gap drops to 30″ up to Fernandez now.

2025-08-26T13:29:05.546Z

Gap starts to steadily drop again as the race are heading to a small kicker before the intermediate sprint in Noyarey with the temperature soaring up to 31.1 °C.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-08-26T13:22:47.904Z

The race has really been unchanged for some time now. Fernandez is tapping out his tempo. The average speed is up to 41.2kph now as the Spaniard has 46″ on the peloton.

Fernandez now has a gap of 45″ on the peloton.

2025-08-26T13:14:07.878Z

Fernandez gets his advantage back out to 38″.

2025-08-26T13:09:46.812Z

The average speed has gone up to 40kph thanks to the huge amount of descending the riders have tackled in the last hour.

Fernandez has 23″ on the peloton now as Victor Campenaerts (Visma-Lease a Bike) collects bottles for Vingegaard and his other teammates.

2025-08-26T13:05:31.542Z

The peloton are just tapping out a solid pace here and are beginning to drag Fernandez back towards the bunch again.

2025-08-26T13:03:13.251Z

Fernandez is riding well and has a gap of 38″ on the peloton.

🏁- 81 km | Stage 4️⃣ Etapa 4️⃣ | #LaVuelta25
💥 Sinuhé Fernandez decides to shake things up a little! Can he persist?
¡🇪🇸 Sinuhé Fernández – Burgos Burpellet BH se marcha en solitario! ¿Tendrá opciones? 🤔 #VueltaLIVE

Fernandez has about 15″ on the peloton with Israel-Premier Tech, Alpecin-Deceuninck and Lidl-Trek leading the bunch.

Sinuhé Fernandez (Burgos-Burpellet-BH)

The Spanish squad are keen to show off their colours today with 82km to go.

2025-08-26T12:49:50.677Z

It has been a very relaxed day for Vingegaard today…

👋 Jonas says hi 😘
#LaVuelta25

Mario Aparicio (Burgos-Burpellet-BH)

The best placed rider in the break today now goes clear just as he and his breakaway companions are caught but he only has less than a handful of seconds on the chasing peloton.

❌ With 91km to go, the breakaway’s hopes are over. Only Aparicio tries again!
👏 La aventura de la fuga se acaba aquí… Aunque Mario Aparicio lo sigue intentando
#LaVuelta25 #VueltaLIVE

Just 12″ splitting the break and the peloton as riders in the bunch take the opportunity to get drinks, food and to take nature breaks.

2025-08-26T12:37:09.525Z

The gap between the peloton was last given as 17″.

2025-08-26T12:36:50.008Z

Some stunning views on the race route today. However, the riders don’t have time to take it in as they are fully focused on the stage.

🏔🏟 The best stadium in the world 😍
🏔🏟 Los mejores estadios del mundo 😍
📸 Cxcling Creative Agency | #LaVuelta25

Israel-Premier Tech will be working for their British sprinter and birthday boy Ethan Vernon who took second place on the opening stage of the race.

2025-08-26T12:24:34.452Z

The gap is steady at around a minute and a half.

2025-08-26T12:24:03.394Z

Alpecin-Deceuninck and Israel-Premier Tech join Lidl-Trek on the front of the peloton.

With the gigantic Alps around them, the break are working hard together. But Nicolau is starting to miss a few turns which is irking Vervaeke.

2025-08-26T12:17:12.284Z

The kilometres are ticking down very quickly on the descent of the Lautaret with the peloton closing in on the break.

2025-08-26T12:11:08.352Z

Quinn has been dragged back by the chasers with the peloton now at 1’43”.

Quinn now has 32″ on the rest of the break and 2’07” back to the peloton.

2025-08-26T12:04:44.006Z

There is now almost 80km of descending for the riders to deal with as they head down towards Voiron.

2025-08-26T12:03:38.243Z

KoM top 5 after today’s climbs:

1. Joel Nicolau (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) 11pts
2. Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost) 9pts
3. Alessandro Verre (Arkea-B&B Hotel) 8pts
4. Louis Vervaeke (Soudal-QuickStep) 8pts
5. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) 5pts

1. Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost) 5pts
2. Joel Nicolau (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) 3pts
3. Louis Vervaeke (Soudal-QuickStep) 1pt

That means Nicolau will wear polka dots tomorrow!

2025-08-26T11:57:50.524Z

Quinn leads over the climb with 35″ on the chasers and 2’45” back to the peloton.

Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost)

The former American champion and most combative rider of yesterday goes clear just before the summit of the climb. He has 20″ on the chasers.

The riders near the top of the Lautaret. There is a lot of downhill to come after this before a long flat section to the finish in Voiron.

2025-08-26T11:51:20.634Z

Three minutes split the break and bunch.

🏁 – 133 km | Stage 4️⃣ – Etapa 4️⃣ | #LaVuelta25
🚴‍♂️ The breakaway of 5 men is still out front as the riders make their way up Lautaret
⛰ Los 5 escapados, Aparicio, Nicolau, Vervaeke, Quinn y Benneu, ya suben Lautaret
⏱️ + 3’05” Peloton
#VueltaLIVE

And handle it they are as Lidl-Trek have brought the gap to the break down to two minutes with the largest climb of the day about to start, the 13.8km long category two climb of the Col du Lautaret. Average gradients are a steady 4.3% but it goes higher than 2000 metres above sea level.

2025-08-26T11:23:28.528Z

Giulio Ciccone of Lidl-Trek spoke to La Vuelta’s media team before the stage about his team’s performance and today suiting Pedersen…

“I think until now we did a good performance as a team, and we would like to continue like this. We missed victory, but we still have many occasions and we continue like this. The first 80 km will be very fast and hard I think, with these two long climbs. Then, it will be a long downhill and flat. On paper, it’s a good stage for Pedersen. We’ll see during the stage if we can handle it.”

2025-08-26T11:18:06.536Z

The pace in the peloton has been dramatically upped by Lidl-Trek and a minute is immediately sliced off the gap to the break.

Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal-QuickStep)

Shock abandon after the Frenchman moved into the top 10 yesterday. His team announce that he leaves due to illness.

The gap has grown again to almost three and a half minutes between the peloton and the breakaway.

2025-08-26T11:04:02.713Z

The race now descends to Briançon. A place that now has a rare accolade of being able to say it has hosted all three Grand Tours with the Tour de France being a regular but also the Giro d’Italia has visited before as well.

2025-08-26T11:00:09.115Z

It is all to play for in the battle for red today with a huge chance for Gaudu to take it from Vingegaard.

❤️ The battle for Red is close in time. Now the placement on the stage will decide 👀 Who will wear it at the end of the day?
❤️ La lucha por La Roja está que arde. El 𝑝𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑜́𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜, decisivo 👀
#LaVuelta25

1. Louis Vervaeke (Soudal-QuickStep) 5pts
2. Joel Nicolau (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) 3pts
3. Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost) 1pt

Nicolau misses out on going level on points with KoM leader, Alessandro Verre (Arkea-B&B Hotels).

The riders are about to go over the top of the Montgenévre climb.

2025-08-26T10:47:46.975Z

The peloton is being controlled by the expected teams of Lidl-Trek and Alpecin-Deceuninck as they try and set up their sprinters, Mads Pedersen and Jasper Philipsen.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-08-26T10:45:25.715Z

The race is in it’s final few kilometres on Italian soil before going into France.

Carlos García Pierna (Burgos-Burpellet-BH)

The Spanish rider has had to step off the bike as he can go no further. He is the fourth rider to leave the race after Guillaume Martin (Groupama-FDJ), Axel Zingle (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Jorge Arcas (Movistar) left yesterday.

2025-08-26T10:33:52.728Z

The break are working well together but their advantage is decreasing with 2’45” now splitting them and the peloton.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-08-26T10:31:42.626Z

The riders are about to start the second climb of the day, the Montgenévre. This is a category 2 climb that is 8.3km long and has an average gradient of 6.1%. There are 5, 3 and 1 point(s) available at the top. Also, as they go over the top, they will enter France.

The gap has stabilised between the breakaway and the peloton at 3’15”.

🏁 – 183 km | Stage 4️⃣ – Etapa 4️⃣
5️⃣ riders are in the break at the head of the race!
¡5️⃣ corredores en cabeza de carrera!
🇧🇪 Louis Vervaeke
🇪🇸 Mario Aparicio
🇪🇸 Joel Nicolau
🇺🇸 Sean Quinn
🇧🇪 Kamiel Bonneu
⏱️3’11” Peloton
#LaVuelta25 #VueltaLIVE

1. Joel Nicolau (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) 3pts
2. Louis Vervaeke (Soudal-QuickStep) 2pts
3. Mario Aparicio (Burgos-Burpellet-BH) 1pt

2025-08-26T10:03:41.042Z

Leaders:

Louis Vervaeke (Soudal-QuickStep)
Mario Aparicio (Burgos-Burpellet-BH)
Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost)
Kamiel Bonneu (Inetermarche-Wanty)
Joel Nicolau (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA)

They have 30″ on the chasing pack.

2025-08-26T10:00:52.280Z

A new move comes again as a likely dash for the KoM points at the top of the Exilles climb. There are 3, 2 and 1 point(s) available.

2025-08-26T09:59:48.220Z

That move is also brought back as the race nears the top of the Exilles climb.

2025-08-26T09:57:58.965Z

A new move goes clear with a small gap on the pursuing bunch.

2025-08-26T09:57:23.255Z

That attack by Van der Lee is successful only in a sense that it has dragged the whole break back into the peloton’s clutches and the fight starts over again.

2025-08-26T09:56:40.934Z

Another attack in the peloton…

Jardi van der Lee (EF Education-EasyPost)

The Dutch rider has his teammate, Nururkar, up the road already but they are looking to get another rider to the front. He crashed yesterday with XDS-Astana’s Harold Lopez but appears unaffected.

2025-08-26T09:54:54.140Z

Nururkar bridges to the four leaders making it five in front with a gap of 25″ on the peloton.

The few KMs are ticked off as the race is climbing in the Italian Alps as they head to the French border.

2025-08-26T09:53:42.507Z

One rider in the chase is young Briti, Lukas Nururkar (EF Education-EasyPost). He is about equidistant between the peloton and break at 8″ in both directions.

2025-08-26T09:51:25.358Z

The peloton don’t seem too happy to let the four man break go just yet with around 15 to 20 seconds between the them.

2025-08-26T09:49:20.691Z

Onto the first climb of the day, the 5.6km long category 3 Exilles climb which has an average gradient of 5.6%.

Jonas Gregaard (Lotto)
Kelland O’Brien (Jayco-AlUla)
Joel Nicolau (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA)
Simone Petilli (Intermarche-Wanty)

They have 10″ on the peloton at the moment.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The start is given and the racing begins on stage four of La Vuelta 2025!

💥 Here is the real start of stage 4️⃣, and the action starts immediately!
💪 ¡Salida lanzada de la etapa 4️⃣… que empieza con ataque !
👋 Grupo Empresa Enfersa-Fertiberia Avilés | #LaVuelta25 #VueltaLIVE

The riders begin the roll out of Susa and head for the Alps with a 6.1km long neutralized section.

2025-08-26T09:25:38.848Z

In the past, this would not have been a day for the sprinters but the sport has changed and now sprinters are much more versatile and capable of getting over some huge climbs in pursuit of victory.

2025-08-26T09:24:47.843Z

After the Lautaret, though, there is a very long descent that takes the riders from around 130km to go to around 50km to go and aside from one little lump, it is almost entirely flat after that to Voiron.

2025-08-26T09:22:47.459Z

After that there is a descent for the riders to recuperate and maybe relax before more false flat heading to the Col du Lautaret, the highest point of the day at just over 2000 metres. The category two climb is 13.8km long and has an average gradient of 4.3%.

2025-08-26T09:21:09.563Z

After the Exilles the road doesn’t really descent much as they tackle false flat to the next climb, the category two Montgenévre where the race enters France with the 8.3km climb having an average gradient of 6.1% and a peak altitude of over 1800 metres.

2025-08-26T09:19:41.695Z

The start of the first climb today comes after just 4km with the category three Exilles climb. 5.6km with an average gradient of 5.6%.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-08-26T09:17:06.907Z

Neutral start is due in just 10 minutes.

2025-08-26T09:16:51.933Z

The riders are signed on and ready to go on the fourth stage of the 2025 La Vuelta with the stage starting in Susa and heading over 206.7km to Voiron.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-08-26T09:10:44.771Z

The jerseys today:

Red, GC – Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike)
Green, Points – Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike)*
Polka dots, KoM – Alessandro Verre (Arkea-B&B Hotels)
White, U25 – Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)

*Worn by – Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek)

2025-08-26T09:07:45.969Z

The race leaves Italian soil today just before the top of the second climb on the stage, the Montgenévre. Then the race has it’s one and only day in France before finally making it to Spain tomorrow.

However, more international visits await with Andorra and Portugal also on the menu in the next three weeks.

2025-08-26T09:04:18.214Z

Vingegaard took part in yesterday’s uphill sprint and took third but was also up there in the intermediate sprint as the Danish star looks for bonus seconds and his top shape…