The 2026 Tour de France Femmes reaches its first individual time trial on Tuesday 4 August, with a 21km course from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon set to create the first substantial gaps between the principal general classification contenders.
The first rider, Lotto-Intermarché’s Romina Hinojosa, starts at 14:51 CEST, which is 13:51 BST in the UK. Yellow jersey Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset will be the 138th and final rider to leave the start ramp at 17:28 CEST, or 16:28 BST.
Stage 4 will be shown live in the UK through TNT Sports, with streaming available on HBO Max. Viewers primarily interested in the stage victory should tune in by 15:25 BST, shortly before Zoe Bäckstedt begins. The decisive general classification sequence starts with Marlen Reusser at 16:08 BST.
The first three stages were decided through two Lorena Wiebes sprint victories and Haugset’s extraordinary solo attack into Poligny. Dijon removes the tactical shelter of the peloton. Every rider will face the road and the clock alone.
What time does Tour de France Femmes Stage 4 start?
The first rider begins the time trial at 14:51 CEST, or 13:51 BST.
Riders initially leave at one-minute intervals. The gaps increase to two minutes for the final 20 starters, beginning with Monica Trinca Colonel at 16:50 CEST.
Tour de France Femmes Stage 4 key times
First rider: 14:51 CEST, 13:51 BST
Zoe Bäckstedt: 16:29 CEST, 15:29 BST
Lotte Kopecky: 16:39 CEST, 15:39 BST
Anna van der Breggen: 16:54 CEST, 15:54 BST
Marlen Reusser: 17:08 CEST, 16:08 BST
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot: 17:10 CEST, 16:10 BST
Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney: 17:14 CEST, 16:14 BST
Elisa Longo Borghini: 17:16 CEST, 16:16 BST
Demi Vollering: 17:24 CEST, 16:24 BST
Kim Le Court-Pienaar: 17:26 CEST, 16:26 BST
Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset: 17:28 CEST, 16:28 BST
The leading riders should take around half an hour to complete the course, placing the expected conclusion shortly before 17:00 BST.
The complete start order and the most important rider timings are listed in our Tour de France Femmes 2026 Stage 4 time trial start-times guide.
What channel is Tour de France Femmes Stage 4 on?
UK viewers can watch Stage 4 live through TNT Sports, with the full stream available on HBO Max.
The precise TNT Sports channel can depend on the wider live-sport schedule, so viewers using a conventional television package should check the electronic programme guide before coverage begins. HBO Max provides the most straightforward route to the complete stream through compatible televisions, computers, tablets and mobile devices.
Every stage of the race is available through the same UK broadcast package. The wider schedule and subscription options are covered in our guide to watching the 2026 Tour de France Femmes in the UK.
Photo Credit: GettyIs Stage 4 free to watch in the UK?
There is no complete live free-to-air broadcast of the Dijon time trial in the UK.
Viewers without access to TNT Sports or HBO Max will need to rely on later highlights and race updates. The time trial is especially suited to live viewing because the result develops through a series of provisional benchmarks rather than one decisive final sprint.
An early rider may occupy the hot seat for a long period before the principal specialists begin. The yellow jersey will then remain unresolved until Haugset completes the course as the final starter.
Highlights can show the decisive rides, but they cannot fully reproduce the tension as Bäckstedt, Kopecky, Reusser and Vollering attempt to displace one another from the top of the standings.
When should viewers tune in?
The ideal viewing time depends on whether the priority is the stage victory, white jersey or general classification.
For the complete time trial
Tune in from 13:50 BST to see Hinojosa begin and follow the development of the early standings.
The opening portion should provide useful information about road conditions, equipment choices and pacing, although the fastest times are likely to arrive much later.
For the stage victory
Tune in by 15:25 BST.
Zoe Bäckstedt begins at 15:29 BST and should establish the first serious stage-winning benchmark. Lotte Kopecky follows ten minutes later, before Anna van der Breggen and Antonia Niedermaier start shortly before 16:00.
Bäckstedt can ride entirely for the stage result rather than protecting an overall position. Her performance should indicate whether the bigger power specialists can gain enough on the fast roads to offset their losses around the climbing section.
For the white jersey battle
Tune in by 15:55 BST.
Antonia Niedermaier begins at 15:58, Isabella Holmgren at 16:00 and Paula Blasi at 16:04. The three remain closely matched, but their different time-trial abilities should finally create meaningful separation.
Niedermaier is the strongest established specialist. Holmgren possesses the aerodynamic power and technical skill for a strong ride, while Blasi will look to gain on the climbing section and limit her losses elsewhere.
For the general classification
Tune in by 16:05 BST.
Reusser starts at 16:08 and is immediately followed by Ferrand-Prévot. Another major contender then begins every two minutes until Haugset leaves at 16:28.
That sequence should establish the first clear hierarchy among the riders expected to contest the final yellow jersey in Nice.
The full tactical picture is covered in the Tour de France Femmes 2026 Stage 4 preview.
Tour de France Femmes Stage 4 route
Route: Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon
Distance: 21km
Stage type: Individual time trial
Intermediate checkpoint: 9.7km
First rider: 13:51 BST
Final rider: 16:28 BST
The course begins on fast roads through the Burgundy vineyards before rising through the Lacets de Marsannay around the middle of the time trial.
The opening kilometres favour riders capable of maintaining a powerful aerodynamic position. The climb then interrupts that rhythm and rewards those able to increase their effort without paying heavily during the closing section.
The official intermediate checkpoint comes after 9.7km, close to the top of the most demanding portion. That split will provide useful information but may not accurately predict the final result.
Lighter riders can appear highly competitive at the checkpoint before conceding ground during the faster second half. Reusser, Kopecky and Bäckstedt should be particularly strong once the road begins running more quickly towards Dijon.
The course profile and leading contenders are examined in greater detail in our Tour de France Femmes 2026 time trial guide.
When does Zoe Bäckstedt start?
Bäckstedt starts at 16:29 CEST, or 15:29 BST.
The British rider is one of the clearest contenders for the stage victory and the first major specialist in the start order.
Her position allows Canyon SRAM to focus entirely on producing the fastest time rather than balancing the effort against a high overall placing. Bäckstedt should be among the quickest riders on the faster opening and closing roads.
The climb represents the main challenge. She must limit her losses without riding beyond a sustainable effort and compromising the final section.
If Bäckstedt moves into the provisional lead, she could remain in the hot seat for almost 40 minutes before Reusser begins.
When does Lotte Kopecky start?
Kopecky begins at 16:39 CEST, or 15:39 BST.
Her raw power and track background make her an obvious contender on a course containing extended fast sections. The uncertainty comes from the physical cost of Stage 3.
Kopecky spent much of the closing phase pursuing Haugset alone in extreme heat before finishing second in Poligny. She reduced the gap substantially, but the chase required a long period at high intensity.
The time trial will reveal how well she has recovered. A normal Kopecky performance places her firmly in the stage-winning contest. A weaker ride may show that the effort into Poligny has carried into the following day.
Photo Credit: GettyReusser starts the decisive GC sequence
Reusser leaves Gevrey-Chambertin at 17:08 CEST, or 16:08 BST.
She is the first of the central Tour favourites and should establish the most important benchmark of the afternoon.
The Movistar leader is one of the strongest time triallists in the peloton and has reached Stage 4 without losing meaningful time to Vollering, Ferrand-Prévot, Niewiadoma-Phinney or Longo Borghini.
Reusser begins only four seconds behind Vollering in the underlying contest between the recognised favourites. Recovering that margin should be a minimum objective. The larger question is how much she can gain before the Tour reaches Mont Ventoux.
Her earlier start means she cannot react to Vollering’s performance, but Movistar can build the ride entirely around planned pacing targets rather than emotional comparisons.
The riders most likely to make major gains are assessed in our Tour de France Femmes 2026 time trial contenders guide.
Ferrand-Prévot follows two minutes later
Ferrand-Prévot starts at 17:10 CEST, or 16:10 BST.
The defending champion will be on the course close behind Reusser, giving Visma | Lease a Bike immediate information about the Swiss rider’s opening pace.
Ferrand-Prévot’s strongest section should come around the climb. The main concern is how much she concedes during the faster roads before and after it.
She does not need to match Reusser to remain a leading Tour contender. She must prevent the gap becoming large enough to dictate an aggressive strategy before Mont Ventoux and the final mountain stages around Nice.
Niewiadoma-Phinney and Longo Borghini start close together
Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney begins at 17:14 CEST, or 16:14 BST. Elisa Longo Borghini follows at 17:16 CEST, or 16:16 BST.
Niewiadoma-Phinney will focus on limiting her losses during the fastest kilometres. The climb should give her an opportunity to recover some time, but the final rolling roads favour riders who can return immediately to a low aerodynamic position.
Longo Borghini is better suited to the overall balance of the course. She possesses enough power for the flatter roads and enough climbing ability to avoid a major reduction in speed around Marsannay.
Their two-minute spacing gives UAE Team L’IMAD a direct physical reference. Longo Borghini may begin seeing Niewiadoma-Phinney ahead if she is producing a significantly stronger ride.
Vollering begins at 16:24 BST
Vollering starts at 17:24 CEST, or 16:24 BST.
Only Le Court-Pienaar and Haugset leave later, meaning FDJ United-Suez should already have complete times or advanced splits from almost every other contender.
The course suits Vollering better than a completely flat time trial. She has enough sustained power to remain close on the opening roads and can gain through the climbing section.
Her most important direct contest is with Reusser. Vollering starts four seconds ahead overall but may concede time to the Swiss specialist. Keeping that loss small would leave her in a strong position before the mountains.
She should also expect to gain on Ferrand-Prévot, Niewiadoma-Phinney, Blasi and several other leading climbers.
Le Court-Pienaar begins second-last
Kim Le Court-Pienaar starts at 17:26 CEST, or 16:26 BST.
The Mauritian sits second overall after collecting bonus seconds through the opening stages and surviving the hilly road to Poligny with the leading group.
She begins only two minutes after Vollering, allowing AG Insurance-Soudal to provide almost immediate comparisons between them.
Le Court-Pienaar faces her clearest test yet as a GC rider. Her strong start to the Tour has been built through climbing consistency and a fast finish. Dijon asks whether she can remain near the top when the specialists finally have terrain capable of producing larger differences.
The current margins are detailed in the GC and jerseys standings after Tour de France Femmes Stage 3.
Haugset begins last in yellow
Haugset starts at 17:28 CEST, or 16:28 BST.
She holds a substantial advantage after completing an extraordinary 88.5km solo victory on Stage 3. That lead gives her a realistic chance of retaining yellow even if she loses considerable time to Reusser and Vollering.
The challenge is recovery.
Haugset spent almost half of Monday’s stage alone in extreme heat, while most of the recognised favourites completed the final kilometres within larger groups. She must now reproduce another sustained individual effort less than 24 hours later.
Her riding characteristics provide reason for optimism. She is a powerful rouleur and capable time triallist rather than a pure climber likely to be overwhelmed by the fast sections.
Starting last also gives Uno-X Mobility complete information. Haugset will know the time required to keep yellow, although the team must prevent those updates from disrupting a carefully planned effort.
Stage 4 international viewing options
In the United States, the Tour de France Femmes is available through Peacock.
Canadian viewers can follow the race through FloBikes, while free-to-air and national broadcaster options include France Télévisions in France, RTBF in Belgium, NOS in the Netherlands, Rai in Italy, RTVE in Spain and SBS in Australia.
Availability can differ between live television and digital streaming services.
The time difference places the first rider at 08:51 ET and the yellow jersey start at 11:28 ET in the United States.
Stage 4 live viewing times at a glance
Date: Tuesday 4 August 2026
First rider: 13:51 BST
Best time for early stage contenders: 15:25 BST
Best time for the white jersey battle: 15:55 BST
Best time for the GC battle: 16:05 BST
Marlen Reusser: 16:08 BST
Demi Vollering: 16:24 BST
Kim Le Court-Pienaar: 16:26 BST
Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset: 16:28 BST
Expected conclusion: shortly before 17:00 BST
UK television: TNT Sports
UK streaming: HBO Max
US streaming: Peacock
Canada: FloBikes
Stage 4 is where the opening bonuses and Haugset’s breakaway gain meet the first direct performance test of the Tour.
Bäckstedt and Kopecky should establish the stage-winning benchmarks. Reusser will then reveal how much the leading specialist can gain before Ferrand-Prévot, Niewiadoma-Phinney, Longo Borghini and Vollering attempt to limit or overturn her advantage.
Haugset starts last with the largest margin but also the most demanding recovery. The Norwegian does not need to win the time trial. She needs to make sure the clock runs out before her unexpected hold on yellow does.
