Stage four of the 2025 Vuelta a España is a day of two halves – a mountainous opening third followed by a long, flat run into a technical finish in Voiron. At 207km, it’s the longest stage of this year’s race, and with more than 3,000m of climbing packed into the first 80km, it presents a genuine challenge for any sprinter hoping to survive to the line. Whether the breakaway stays clear or the peloton reassembles in time, this is a stage that asks tactical questions from start to finish.
2025 Vuelta a España stage 4 details
Date: Tuesday, 26th August
Distance: 207km
Start: Susa
Finish: Voiron
Start time: 11:25 CEST
Estimated finish: 16:31 CEST
The riders roll out from Susa and begin climbing almost immediately. The opening ascent to Puerto Exiles (cat. 3) crests just 10.4km in and flows straight into the category 2 Col de Montgenèvre. From there, the race crosses into France and pushes higher to reach the Col du Lautaret after 76.8km – the highest altitude of this year’s Vuelta. It’s a sustained start, with three significant climbs before most fans have even had lunch.
Once over Lautaret, the mood of the stage changes. A long, drawn-out descent leads to flatter terrain around Grenoble, and the final 40km into Voiron are straightforward on paper. But with a short climb at Le Pont-de-Claix and a few tight corners in the last kilometre – including a left-hand turn just 400m from the line – this is no drag race. Positioning and timing will matter as much as speed if a reduced bunch makes it to the finale.
Photo Credit: GettyContenders
If the fast finishers can endure the opening climbs, this could be their first real chance since Novara. Mads Pedersen has looked sharp and motivated throughout the opening days, and this finish suits him perfectly if he’s still in the group by Voiron. With Giulio Ciccone as a climbing option and Carlos Verona and Julien Bernard for the break, Lidl-Trek can shape this stage in several ways.
Jasper Philipsen is a less likely candidate today, given the intensity of the climbing early on, but if Alpecin-Deceuninck manage his effort carefully, he’ll be a major threat in any sprint. Israel-Premier Tech have two strong cards to play in Ethan Vernon and Jake Stewart, while Iván García Cortina and Orluis Aular have already shown themselves active for Movistar.
Filippo Ganna and Ben Turner give Ineos Grenadiers multiple routes to the line – Ganna for a flat-out gallop, Turner if it fragments and opens up late.
For the breakaway, this profile screams opportunity. Stefan Küng, Victor Campenaerts, Bruno Armirail, and Magnus Sheffield all have the engine and experience to go long. Pablo Castrillo, Finn Fisher-Black, Marco Frigo, and Eddie Dunbar are more opportunistic, but if the peloton hesitates and the terrain proves too much for the sprinters’ teams, one of them could take full advantage.
Prediction
We think Mads Pedersen will claim his first win of the race in Voiron, timing his effort perfectly after surviving the opening climbs.
