🏁 Tour de France 2025 Stage 4: Punchers Battle It Out in Rouen Finale

🚴 Stage 4 Preview: Hills, History, and High Stakes in Rouen

Tour de France 2025 Stage 4 delivers a dynamic 174.2-kilometre journey from Amiens to Rouen, with a finale that’s anything but flat. The course ramps up in the final 50 kilometres, tailor-made for punchy climbers with a touch of sprint in their legs.

Early in the stage, the peloton rolls through northern France on gently undulating terrain — not flat, but not threatening either. The real test begins with the Côte de Jacques Anquetil (3.5 km at 3.6%) about 50 kilometres from the finish, gradually softening the legs ahead of a relentless trio of steep ramps.

After the intermediate sprint in Saint-Adrien, things get spicy. Riders will face the Côte de Belbeuf (1.3 km at 9.1%), followed by a rapid succession of climbs in the final 20 kilometres. These include:

• Côte de Bonsecours: 900 metres at 7.2%
• Côte de la Grand’Mare: 1.8 km at 5%
• Rampe Saint-Hillaire: 800 metres at 10.6%

After cresting the Saint-Hillaire wall, the route plunges downhill for four kilometres. But just as riders think the pain is over, the road kicks up again under the flamme rouge with 500 metres at 5%. It then flattens into the final straight in Rouen, a city steeped in cycling lore.

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📸 Historic Return to Rouen

The last time the Tour visited Rouen was in 2012, when André Greipel won in a bunch sprint. That won’t be the case this year. The finish is more suited to the type of rider who can power up ramps and descend with control.

Rouen is also the hometown of Jacques Anquetil, the first five-time Tour de France winner, whose legacy looms large over the region. With a climb named after him on the day’s menu, expect emotion and inspiration to fuel the attacks.

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🔥 Stage 3 Recap: Merlier Triumphs, Van der Poel Holds Yellow

Stage 3 was marred by crashes but ended with a thrilling sprint as Tim Merlier edged out Jonathan Milan in Dunkirk. Mathieu van der Poel retained his lead in the general classification, but lost teammate Jasper Philipsen, who crashed out mid-stage.

The peloton mostly stayed intact until late chaos, with Wout van Aert, Milan, and Biniam Girmay all finishing safely.

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🌍 What to Expect in Tour de France 2025 Stage 4

This is not a sprinter’s day. The steep ramps and fast descents favour puncheurs — riders who thrive on explosive efforts. Expect action from:

• Wout van Aert – a master of short climbs and descents
• Mathieu van der Poel – wearing yellow and hungry for more
• Tadej Pogacar – explosive, opportunistic, and always dangerous
• Romain Grégoire & Thibau Nys – looking to punch above their weight
• Julian Alaphilippe – tailor-made for this type of finale

Don’t rule out Primoz Roglic or Remco Evenepoel, both of whom may test the others if the pace is high enough over the final climbs.

With bonus seconds up for grabs (10, 6, and 4 at the finish), the GC contenders may want more than just a stage win.

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🏆 General Classification after Stage 3

1. Mathieu van der Poel (NLD)
2. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) + 0.04
3. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) + 0.06
4. Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) + 0.10
5. Matteo Jorgenson (USA) s.t.
6. Enric Mas (SPA) s.t.
7. Joe Blackmore (GBR) + 0.41
8. Tobias Halland Johannessen (NOR) s.t.
9. Ben O’Connor (AUS) s.t.
10. Neilson Powless (USA) + 0.49

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