Tour Down Under stage 4 - LIVE

After what seemed an almost leisurely ride, the break is committed to the move now with a gao of 2:21 inside of 60.7km to go.

Movistar back in control at the front, with Romo in third wheel. 

UAE, Visma are moving up in the peloton. 

Break flying down the descent, 94kmpr, with a gap of 2:14 at 64km to go.

67km to go

Speed and intensity has definitely picked up in the break of 4, including Van der Hoorn, Epis, Schelling and Schmid. The quartet now have 2 minutes on the field.

Field rolls across the line, no KOM points left after the four in the break.

Schmid takes the front with 200 metres to go on the climb, but no contests the KOM. Schmid was first across the line followed by Epis, Schelling and Van der Hoorn.

Break looks at each other inside of 1km to go. Van der Hoorn setting the pace followed by Schmid, Epis and Schelling. 

Peloton is now massed at the front, blocking off any possible attacks. 

Break suffering on the steep section of the climb, with 1.4km to go to the top. The four rider have 1:15 on the field.

Reorganization at the front of the peloton, with teams getting into position for the upcoming climb. 

5km to top of KOM#1 for the break. The cat2 Parawa Hill is 2.9km-long with an average gradient of 7% and max of 12.3%

Hayman added that he didn't want to "sound like an old fart" but he was firmly in favour of the new UCI feed zone rules.

"I don't want to see anyone dehydrated. I don't want to see anyone suffering - it's a hard sport. They need the nutrition. But I think it was a bit of an arms race to get as many people, particularly in the Tour de France, having water and ice at, you know, every 10 kilometers, and having staff for that and vehicles for that - at the bottom of a climb, middle of a climb, top of the climb - having to employ extra staff and vehicles just for those water bottles and ice. Maybe now people have to rethink how they race and strategize around nutrition. "

Mat Hayman Jayco-AlUla DS, told Cyclingnews at the start:

“[gaps from yesterday were] not what I expected. We know the level is really high, and we know that everybody comes to this race prepared. When they pick a team, it's not just us that are preparing to do well here. The level across the board over the last few years has been extremely high. We see record times, every time, with bigger groups coming with the faster times. That's quite impressive.”

Schmid, who is in the break today, was intending to be up there yesterday but "had an off day”.

“Chris Harper was attacking on Norton summit at the start, and nobody else really wanted to race. He was pulling on the first time up the climb, and he was still attacking with 3k to go. So my hat goes off to him. He's doing everything he can to make this race as hard as possible. If nobody else wants to join, then our hands are pretty tired there.”

“Chris is in great form. He's a local boy and he's always ready to do the job. At the moment, he's in a great spot, and let's see what happens on that. He knows that climb [Willunga] pretty well.”

Lecerf stopped for a nature break, sat up and will be back with the peloton soon. 784km to go as the four up the toad now have 1:14

Lidl-Trek put 2 riders at the front, behind 2 Movistar as we head towards to the first KOM of the day, the cat. 2 Parawa Hill, inside of 10km to KOM.

First Van der Hoorn went to his team car, and Lecerf keeps looking back for his car.  Gap around the one-minute mark

Here’s what Kim Andersen, Lidl-Trek DS told Cyclingnews at the start, about the team tactics with five riders in the top 18 on GC:

“We’ll try to follow today. I don't think there's much to do, because the problem is, when you're so close, you cannot go anywhere. Of course, if there are a lot of attacks we will follow and also put people in them, but we will go for tomorrow.”

Still the whole Movistar team at the front, with Romo in the ochre jersey sitting fifth wheel. Gap is 1:25 with 85km to go.

First move came from Schmid with Epis on his week followed by Lecerf. Schmid takes top points and another 3 seconds time bonus for a total of 6 seconds today. Epis was second and Lecerf was third at the second intermediate sprint in Yankalilla.

Building up to the sprint. Lecerf again tightens up his shoes as Schmid pulls off the front and got to the back behind Lecerf.

Fabio Baldato, UAE Team Emirates XRG DS, told Cyclingnews at the start:

About bonus seconds being important for GC. ”That was a tactic from the teams. We let it go the first days, but now a guy like Konrad doesn't go anymore, because today we will control him. We saw the other guys that took the seconds yesterday were both dropped, and at the end that second didn't really count. The one that did a good operation was [Patrick] Konrad from Lidl-Trek, because the five seconds that he took in the break gave him third place. That was a great operation, but you don't have the space now to do that again.”

“The race is pretty simple, because today and tomorrow will not be really windy. Even a team like Movistar can really control and bring the bunch together. It will be more about [Willunga], full gas. Yesterday was more open to different situations. We also tried to make the race hard the first time on the climb. The level this year is high. We expected a bigger selection, but the first time on the climb, it wasn't going fast like the second time. The day was not so hot. The normal here is about 30 to 35 [°C]. It was maybe 22, so the riders from Europe were able to perform well, that normally did not happen in the past years. Now you have an open race today and tomorrow for a bigger show.”

UAE have a two-prong tactic with Jhonathan Narvaez  setting second overall, at 8 seconds back and Jay Vine at 15 seconds in arrears.

Break of 5 riders:  Epis, Van der Hoorn, Schelling, Schmid and Lecerf  have 1:44 with 91 km to go, and 5km to the next intermediate sprint.

Martin Barras, ARA Australia directeur sportif, said at the start in Glenelg:

“Tour Down Under is a very high-level racing. So for the guys, it's always a little bit trying. But we wanted to get stuck into it from the get go, we've achieved that, I think, a good, solid lead in the king of the mountains jersey. We have some ambitions for the young rider’s classification, which keeps us busy. And today's the day for the fast boys.”

100km to go

Peloton eased off slightly to let the gap go back to over one minutes, nudged out to 1:10 as they cross over the Myponga Reservoir wall 

And now the neutral car moves out of the gap which is now 50 seconds with 104km to go.

The break is making its way to a narrow, technical descent following this uncategorized climb.  Van der Hoorn asked the TV motorcycle for his car but the cars have been taken out from the gap. Neutral service comes in to assist.

Gap tumbled to under one minute. If they get closer, it will lead to more attacks from the peloton.

Epis is waiting for the other four riders in the break, and they're back together with a gao of 1:14. Schelling goes back to the front of the group to set the pace.

Epis pulls away from the break, with no urgent reaction from the four as they are heading uphill on an uncategorized climb.

A few more teams massing at the front of the peloton with 108km to go, and the gap is 1:36.

Puncture and rear wheel change for Geoffrey Bouchard, and he's back on his bike.

Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) was not feeling well in the first three stages. Cyclingnews caught up with him at the start in Glenelg:

“First day was a real battle to get through. I felt better the next day and yesterday felt better again, and so I'm OK now. It's just the fact of doing my bit for the team. It's a shame, you don't want to come here and just be suffering out the back, just surviving."

"I'm trying to make the most of the next few days. We have Magnus [Sheffield] still up there, so we'll do what we can for him. The rest of the boys are feeling good, so we'll just be active and try to get something out of the race.”

Magnus Sheffield is 15 seconds down on GC.

Third on GC, at 10 seconds down, Patrick Konrad (Lidl-Trek) said at the start in Glenelg:

“Of course, every day is an opportunity, but I think today we will put the focus on Tim [Tom Teutenberg], for the sprint and for no time loss for us. And tomorrow is a really important day on Willunga, so we will have a focus on, actually, on every day.”

About racing conservatively today. “If there is an opportunity, we have to go for it. And we saw two years ago, there comes a small group in 10 seconds. So, if something like this happens, wehave to be inside,we have to be present. And yeah, with five guys, I think, yeah, it's quite comfortable that we don't look for what they have to look for one so we can play all with different cards.”

The peloton at the Tour Down Under are adjusting to a slew of new UCI rules for 2025, most notably a provision that restricts food and water hand-ups to designated feed zones and from team cars in the convoy. 

While race organisers and teams appeared to be blindsided by the rule, which was published on December 23, 2024, teams association president Brent Copeland clarified the rationale behind the rule to Cyclingnews.

Read more in 'Reckless driving' outside race courses one motivator for new UCI feed zone rules

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

Movistar-led peloton comes through the sprint line, 2:06 behind the break.

Lecerf tried to jump first but had no room and Schmid accelerated to hold him off and took top points and 3 time bonus seconds. Lecerf was second. Epis was third. 

Van der Hoorn leading the five while Lecerf is tightening his shoes at the back of the group.

Five escapees see 1km to the first intermediate sprint in Snapper Point. Gap at 1:39.

Luke Plapp (Jayco-AlUla) said at the start that there was a “potential” of bonus seconds today.

“We’ll always be looking to take some time. I think Rohan [Dennis] showed here a couple of years ago that you could get a small gap and shake up the GC on this day. I think also, Richie [Porte] lost the GC here a few years ago too. So we've got to be on the ball, but if we're status quo by the end of the day, and we're ready for a big showdown tomorrow, Willunga. I'd also be stoked with that.”

Excited about Willunga Hill? “Massively. Get through today, be on the same time as the others, and then look, throw it all out there on Wallinga, I think where we're sitting on the GC at the moment, there's not a whole lot to defend, but we're not in a bad position either. So just throw down the gauntlet on Willunga tomorrow and see what happens. But get through today safely and with all the big boys too.”

Peloton holding the gap to around 2 minutes. Now at 1:51 with 126km to go, and inside of 5km to the first intermediate sprint with bonus seconds of 3,2 and 1 on the line, as well as sprint points.

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

Schmid is now virtual leader on the road.

Puncture for Alex Edmonson in the peloton.

The conversations continue in the break. Lots of chatter going on.

Lecerf has a quick chat with his Soudal Quick-Step DS, grabs a gel and gets back to the break. Van der Hoorn and Schmid also engaged in a chat. 

137km to go

Break of five have 1:45 on the peloton which seems to be keeping a tight leash on the escapees. Average speed has been over 40kmph so far.

Good news for the break as the peloton starts taking nature breaks, as Movistar goes to the front to set tempo for race leader Romo with 141km to go

Jayco-AlUla is patrolling the front of the peloton to help the breakaway, with their teammate Schmid, gets a longer leash. Gao at 1:21

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

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

Two riders trying to bridge up to the trio are Mauro Schmid and Junior Lecerf.

The trio have 1:00 on the peloton.

They are no danger for the GC contenders, and the highest placed on GC is Schelling who is 7:55 down.

Vine is at the medical car, getting looked at.

Break

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

Vine also 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.

Big chase by the second group led by Jayco-AlUla has caught back onto the first peloton group.

Meanwhile, Coquard and Vine, chasing,  are in the convoy as the commissaire calls for a barrage.

The crash caused a split in the peloton with 152km to go.

It was a crash at the back. Renard gets a bike change, and continues on with shredded shorts.

A few riders needing a bike change at the back, including Jay Vine and Alexis Renard. Renard had a long wait for his team car.

More teams want to get to the front. Schmid takes a solo flyer to get to the trio ahead by 19 seconds.

Giosue Epis easily made it across to join the other two riders. And more moves starting to come from the field which is now strung out.

One rider from Arkea trying to bridge up. 

No reaction from the peloton to the two escapees.

And an immediate attack from Taco van der Hoorn and Ide Schelling.

Speaking of O’Grady, flag drop from the man himself. And we are racing!

Today’s Glenelg start and Victor Harbor finish also featured during the race’s first edition in 1999 – a stage won in emphatic style by Tour Down Under race director Stuart O’Grady. 

Lots of chatter and smiles in the peloton as they ride close to the team directeur car in the neutral zone.

Perfect weather today, with current temperatures of 20C, and partly cloudy.

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

One rider missing from the start is Martín López who crashed with 15km to go on stage 3. He was taken to the hospital and his XDS Astana team reported that he was fully conscious and cooperative, feels good. The latest update reported that López was diagnosed with a mild concussion and facial trauma. Best wishes for a quick recovery.

Stage 4 of the Tour Down Under is set to start in under 10 minutes. At 157.2km, today’s stage is the longest of the 2025 Tour Down Under. Starting in Glenelg, the course follows the scenic coastline with two intermediate sprints before the first of two classified ascents. If riders' legs are in pain from Knott's Hill, they'll be feeling more of a sting when they hit Parawa Hill and Nettle Hill. An uncategorised ascent with 12.2km to go complicates the picture for the sprinters. This could be a great day for a breakaway.

Stage 3 winner Javier Romo (Movistar) tops the general classification with 8 seconds on stage 3 runner-up Jhonathan Narvaez (UAE Team Emirates XRG). Patrick Konrad (Lidl-Trek) is third, and Finn Fisher-Black (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) fourth, both 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 best young rider classification.

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

Welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of stage 4, from Glenelg to Victor Harbor, of the Tour Down Under. The stage starts at 11:10am local time or 12:30am GMT and finishes roughly four hours later.