Javier Romo retained his grip on the ochre jersey after stage 4 of the Santos Tour Down Under concluded with a chaotic sprint in Victor Harbor. The 157.2km route saw Bryan Coquard emerge victorious, holding off Phil Bauhaus and Jhonatan Narváez, who managed to narrow his deficit in the general classification by taking a four-second time bonus for third place.
Despite losing a small chunk of his lead, Romo remains in pole position ahead of Saturday’s Queen Stage, where the iconic Willunga Hill will decide the race.
Narváez frustrated in sprint as Coquard takes the win
Narváez’s frustration was evident at the finish, gesturing angrily as he felt his sprint was impeded. UAE Team Emirates sports director Fabio Baldato confirmed they had raised the issue with the race jury but accepted the officials’ decision. “The finale was turning a bit to the right, and Johnny told me the rider in front tried to keep a shorter line,” Baldato said. “The jury reviewed it, and I trust their decision.”
Coquard, however, was unaware of any issues and focused only on his sprint. “He was a little angry at the finish, but I don’t know why,” the Frenchman said. “I just looked at the finish line and sprinted at maximum to win again in Australia.”
Phil Bauhaus, who finished second, remarked on the nature of the finale, saying, “The road went a bit to the right, and I think Coquard took the inside. It’s always difficult to understand what happens behind you because you’re so focused on the sprint.”
Photo Credit: GettyRomo retains ochre jersey with support from Movistar
Romo’s Movistar team worked hard to keep the race under control throughout the day, neutralising any dangerous moves. Reflecting on the day, the Spanish rider said, “The objective today was to maintain the jersey. My team did a super good job leading the race. It’s not normal to see Movistar controlling a stage like this, so I’m very happy with the work they did. Let’s see tomorrow on Willunga.”
With Narváez now just four seconds behind and Patrick Konrad and Finn Fisher-Black tied at 10 seconds, Romo acknowledged the challenge ahead on Saturday. A host of other riders remain within a minute, including Magnus Sheffield, Jay Vine, Luke Plapp, and defending champion Stevie Williams.
A hectic day for the breakaway and bunch
The stage began with an aggressive fight for the breakaway, eventually forming with Taco van der Hoorn, Ide Schelling, Mauro Schmid, Giosue Epis, and Junior Lecerf. However, the peloton, wary of Schmid’s GC threat, kept the group on a tight leash. Epis and Lecerf were reeled in as the race approached the category 2 Nettle Hill climb, leaving Schmid alone at the front.
Schmid was finally caught on the climb, where UAE Team Emirates and Israel-Premier Tech upped the pace, splintering the peloton and setting up a fast run-in to Victor Harbor. In the finale, Ineos Grenadiers briefly took control, but the sprint opened up with 300 metres to go as Coquard launched from the wheel of Laurence Pithie.
Eyes on Willunga Hill
The penultimate stage of the Tour Down Under will feature two ascents of Willunga Hill, with the final climb expected to be decisive. Baldato remains confident in Narváez’s chances. “Johnny was coming really fast today, double speed on the others. If he had found a free way, it would have been a victory,” Baldato said. “We’re optimistic for tomorrow. Romo looked strong, but we’ll try again.”
With seconds separating the top contenders, stage 5 is set to deliver a fierce battle for the ochre jersey.
2025 Men’s Tour Down Under Stage 4 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Tour Down Under
