Vuelta a España 2025 stage 4 preview - Longest day of racing stretches across the Italian and French Alps

CERES, ITALY - AUGUST 25: (L-R) Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark - Red Leader Jersey and Matteo Jorgenson of The United States and Team Visma | Lease a Bike compete during the La Vuelta - 80th Tour of Spain 2025, Stage 3 a 134.6km stage from San Maurizio Canavese to Ceres 704m / #UCIWT / on August 25, 2025 in Ceres, Italy. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images).

• Start time: 11:25 CET
• Finish time: 16:45 CET
• How to watch stage 4 of the Vuelta a España
• Favourites to win the stage: Mads Pedersen, Victor Langelotti, Magnus Sheffield

Tuesday's stage 4 brings the longest route of the Vuelta a España, with 206.7 kilometres through the Alps of Italy for a stop in France. The opening 77km from the start in the Susa are all uphill, featuring the climbs of Montgenèvre and Lautaret, and then level out for a fast finish with a slight uphill into Voiron.

A category 3 ascent to Puerto Exiles strikes immediately, 10.5km from the start, and leads to the 8.4km ascent of Col de Montgenèvre, which marks entry from Italy to France. Once through Briançon, the peloton will complete the 13.8km stretch to Col du Lautaret.

There's almost 80km of sloping downhill terrain until the riders hit the uncategorised rise at Le Pont-de-Claix, leaving 12km to an intermediate sprint in Noyarey. The rush to Voiron will be in full flight with 32km remaining, most of that flat, but an uphill 3km inside the city with a number of turns. The final left-hand corner is a 400 metres from the finish, which should play out for a bunch sprint.

Stage 4 profile (Image credit: Unipublic)

Climbs

• Km 10.4: Cat. 3 - Puerto Exiles
• Km 37.8: Cat.2 - Col de Montgenevre
• Km 76.8: Cat.2 - Col du Lauteret

Sprints

• Noyarey, km. 174.4 - time bonus