Tour Down Beneath stage 4 – LIVE

And now the impartial automobile strikes out of the hole which is now 50 seconds with 104km to go.

The break is making its strategy to a slender, technical descent following this uncategorized climb.  Van der Hoorn requested the TV bike for his automobile however the vehicles have been taken out from the hole. Impartial service is available in to help.

Hole tumbled to beneath one minute. In the event that they get nearer, it’s going to result in extra assaults from the peloton.

Epis is ready for the opposite 4 riders within the break, and so they’re again along with a gao of 1:14. Schelling goes again to the entrance of the group to set the tempo.

Epis pulls away from the break, with no pressing response from the 4 as they’re heading uphill on an uncategorized climb.

A number of extra groups massing on the entrance of the peloton with 108km to go, and the hole is 1:36.

Puncture and rear wheel change for Geoffrey Bouchard, and he is again on his bike.

Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) was not feeling effectively within the first three phases. Cyclingnews caught up with him initially in Glenelg:

“First day was an actual battle to get by. I felt higher the following day and yesterday felt higher once more, and so I am OK now. It is simply the actual fact of doing my bit for the crew. It is a disgrace, you do not wish to come right here and simply be struggling out the again, simply surviving.”

“I am making an attempt to benefit from the following few days. Now we have Magnus [Sheffield] nonetheless up there, so we’ll do what we are able to for him. The remainder of the boys are feeling good, so we’ll simply be lively and attempt to get one thing out of the race.”

Magnus Sheffield is 15 seconds down on GC.

Third on GC, at 10 seconds down, Patrick Konrad (Lidl-Trek) mentioned initially in Glenelg:

“After all, day-after-day is a chance, however I feel at this time we are going to put the concentrate on Tim, for the dash and for no time loss for us. And tomorrow is a extremely vital day on Willunga, so we may have a concentrate on, really, on day-after-day.”

About racing conservatively at this time. “If there is a chance, we’ve got to go for it. And we noticed two years in the past, there comes a small group in 10 seconds. So, if one thing like this occurs, wehave to be inside,we’ve got to be current. And yeah, with 5 guys, I feel, yeah, it is fairly snug that we do not search for what they should search for one so we are able to play all with completely different playing cards.”

The peloton on the Tour Down Beneath are adjusting to a slew of latest UCI guidelines for 2025, most notably a provision that restricts meals and water hand-ups to designated feed zones and from crew vehicles within the convoy. 

Whereas race organisers and groups seemed to be blindsided by the rule, which was revealed on December 23, 2024, groups affiliation president Brent Copeland clarified the rationale behind the rule to Cyclingnews.

Learn extra in ‘Reckless driving’ exterior race programs one motivator for brand new UCI feed zone guidelines

Break riders by the feed zone, grabbing bottles from their soigneurs. Hole holding at 2:02 with 115km to go.

Movistar-led peloton comes by the dash line, 2:06 behind the break.

Lecerf tried to leap first however had no room and Schmid accelerated to carry him off and took prime factors and three time bonus seconds. Lecerf was second. Epis was third. 

Van der Hoorn main the 5 whereas Lecerf is tightening his sneakers behind the group.

5 escapees see 1km to the primary intermediate dash in Snapper Level. Hole at 1:39.

Luke Plapp (Jayco-AlUla) mentioned initially that there was a “potential” of bonus seconds at this time.

“We’ll at all times be seeking to take a while. I feel Rohan [Dennis] confirmed right here a few years in the past that you can get a small hole and shake up the GC on this present day. I feel additionally, Richie [Porte] misplaced the GC right here a number of years in the past too. So we have got to be on the ball, but when we’re established order by the tip of the day, and we’re prepared for a giant showdown tomorrow, Willunga. I would even be stoked with that.”

Enthusiastic about Willunga Hill? “Massively. Get by at this time, be on the identical time because the others, after which look, throw all of it on the market on Wallinga, I feel the place we’re sitting on the GC for the time being, there’s not an entire lot to defend, however we’re not in a foul place both. So simply throw down the gauntlet on Willunga tomorrow and see what occurs. However get by at this time safely and with all the massive boys too.”

Peloton holding the hole to round 2 minutes. Now at 1:51 with 126km to go, and inside 5km to the primary intermediate dash with bonus seconds of three,2 and 1 on the road, in addition to dash factors.

Breakaway of Junior Lecerf  (Soudal-Quickstep), Giosue Epis (Arkea-B&B Motels), Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarché-Wanty), Ide Schelling (XDS Astana) and Swiss champion Mauro Schmid (Jayco-AlUla) have 2:17 on the sphere with 131km to go.

Schmid is now digital chief on the highway.

Puncture for Alex Edmonson within the peloton.

The conversations proceed within the break. Numerous chatter happening.

Lecerf has a fast chat along with his Soudal Fast-Step DS, grabs a gel and will get again to the break. Van der Hoorn and Schmid additionally engaged in a chat. 

137km to go

Break of 5 have 1:45 on the peloton which appears to be conserving a good leash on the escapees. Common pace has been over 40kmph to this point.

Excellent news for the break because the peloton begins taking nature breaks, as Movistar goes to the entrance to set tempo for race chief Romo with 141km to go

Jayco-AlUla is patrolling the entrance of the peloton to assist the breakaway, with their teammate Schmid, will get an extended leash. Gao at 1:21

Schmid and Lecerf have joined the trio of Epis, Van der Hoorn and Schelling to make it 5 up the highway.  Numerous chatter when the connection was made.

Swiss champion Schmid is 31 seconds again, and Lecerf is 35 seconds down on GC.

Two riders making an attempt to bridge as much as the trio are Mauro Schmid and Junior Lecerf.

The trio have 1:00 on the peloton.

They’re no hazard for the GC contenders, and the best positioned on GC is Schelling who’s 7:55 down.

Vine is on the medical automobile, getting checked out.

Break

Three riders are within the break: Giosue Epis (Arkea-B&B Motels), Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarché-Wanty) and Ide Schelling (XDS Astana). 

Vine additionally went down in that earlier crash. He has blood on his leg and a tear in his shorts.  Vine and Coquard have rejoined the peloton.

Large chase by the second group led by Jayco-AlUla has caught again onto the primary peloton group.

In the meantime, Coquard and Vine, chasing,  are within the convoy because the commissaire requires a barrage.

The crash precipitated a break up within the peloton with 152km to go.

It was a crash on the again. Renard will get a motorbike change, and continues on with shredded shorts.

A number of riders needing a motorbike change on the again, together with Jay Vine and Alexis Renard. Renard had a protracted look ahead to his crew automobile.

Extra groups wish to get to the entrance. Schmid takes a solo flyer to get to the trio forward by 19 seconds.

Giosue Epis simply made it throughout to hitch the opposite two riders. And extra strikes beginning to come from the sphere which is now strung out.

One rider from Arkea making an attempt to bridge up. 

No response from the peloton to the 2 escapees.

And a right away assault from Taco van der Hoorn and Ide Schelling.

Talking of O’Grady, flag drop from the person himself. And we’re racing!

Right now’s Glenelg begin and Victor Harbor end additionally featured in the course of the race’s first version in 1999 – a stage received in emphatic model by Tour Down Beneath race director Stuart O’Grady. 

Numerous chatter and smiles within the peloton as they experience near the crew directeur automobile within the impartial zone.

Good climate at this time, with present temperatures of 20C, and partly cloudy.

The 136 riders are off for the 7.9km impartial zone. 

One rider lacking from the beginning is Martín López who crashed with 15km to go on stage 3. He was taken to the hospital and his XDS Astana crew reported that he was absolutely acutely aware and cooperative, feels good. The most recent replace reported that López was identified with a light concussion and facial trauma. Greatest needs for a fast restoration.

Stage 4 of the Tour Down Beneath is ready to start out in beneath 10 minutes. At 157.2km, at this time’s stage is the longest of the 2025 Tour Down Beneath. Beginning in Glenelg, the course follows the scenic shoreline with two intermediate sprints earlier than the primary of two categorised ascents. If riders’ legs are in ache from Knott’s Hill, they will be feeling extra of a sting after they hit Parawa Hill and Nettle Hill. An uncategorised ascent with 12.2km to go complicates the image for the sprinters. This could possibly be a terrific day for a breakaway.

Stage 3 winner Javier Romo (Movistar) tops the final classification with 8 seconds on stage 3 runner-up Jhonathan Narvaez (UAE Crew Emirates XRG). Patrick Konrad (Lidl-Trek) is third, and Finn Fisher-Black (Pink Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) fourth, each tied at 10 seconds.

Fourth in yesterday’s stage, Albert Withen Philipsen (Lidl-Trek) is 15 seconds down on GC and took the lead in the very best younger rider classification.

Double stage winner Sam Welsford (Pink Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) leads the factors classification. Fergus Browning (ARA Australia) went within the break three days in a row and has a unsurmountable lead within the mountains classification

Welcome to Cyclingnews‘ stay protection of stage 4, from Glenelg to Victor Harbor, of the Tour Down Beneath. The stage begins at 11:10am native time or 12:30am GMT and finishes roughly 4 hours later.