Stage 4 of the 2020 Tour de France saw the peloton tackle the first summit finish and gave the pundits their first chance to assess the form of the climbers on a fast finish. Hot tip number one: Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) made certain of victory after a truly impressive show of strength by his team on the final climb. Hot tip number 2: Julian Alaphilipppe (Deceuninck-Quickstep) finished fifth to retain the maillot jaune, but his rivals are massing behind him. The only rider able to attack in the final was Guillaume Martin from Cofidis, he finished third behind Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates)

Final KMs

France looked beautiful today. Blue skies, the mountains in the distance and peloton like a flock of tropical birds dotted along the landscape. With the first mountaintop finish, the riders were happy to let a break of five have their time, and then sit back and wait for the final climb. While we waited, the Quicksteppers took control of the pace-making – hour after hour on the front, with their rivals riding the train.

Onto the final climb and they’d burned all their matches. The yellow jersey was left alone and Jumbo-Visma seized their opportunity with frightening alacrity and strength. Find the highlights and watch as first Wout Van Aert and then Sepp Kuss set an infernal pace in the finale – all Roglic had to do was light the blue touchpaper in final metres and sail over the line arms aloft.

Stage in a nutshell

Did today tell us anything about the form of of the GC favourites? Alaphilippe kept with the pace the Jumbo Bees set, but it cost him his zip on a finale that suits his skill set. As for the rest…

The Wout & Sepp show

Answers on a postcard please

Pretty sure he read the book and thought, yep I can do that.

In praise of Baby Daisy Kuss – he makes it look easy, even when you know it’s anything but.

The name is Martin, Guillaume Martin!

I’d say the Jumbo Bees strength stamped out any hope of launching an attack in the final kilometre, but that would be a falsehood. There was one rider who took his opportunity, and for a glorious moment I thought Guillaume Martin would take the stage for Cofidis. He was caught, but held on to finish 3rd and move up to 5th on GC! Journal Velo and I are delighted.

Love his panache – nothing ventured, nothing gained INDEED

YES!

An unsettling front-side Ollie

Not quite what you expect from the term ‘railing the descent’ – holy moly, that was scary for Tiesj Benoot

Thank goodness Sunweb’s report shows no serious injury.

The final word

Results

Stage 3 Top 5

1 Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) 4:07:47

2 Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates) same time

3 Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) s/t

4 Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) s/t

5 Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quickstep) s/t

GC Top 10

1 Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quickstep) 18:07:04

2 Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) +0:04

3 Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) +0:07

4 Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) +0:11

5 Guillaume Martin (Team Cofidis) +0:13

6 Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) +0:17

7 Tom Dumoulin (Jumbo-Visma) s/t

8 Esteban Chaves (Mitchelton-SCOTT) s/t

9   Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) s/t

10 Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) s/t

All the jerseys

Leader’s jersey Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quickstep)

Points jersey Peter Sagan (Bora-hansgrohe)

King of the Mountains Benoit Cosnefroy (AG2R la Mondiale)

Best Young Rider Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates)

Most Combativity of the Stage: Guillaume Martin (Cofidis)

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Official race website: Le Tour

Header image: ©AFP/Stephane Mahe / GETTY IMAGES