Tour de France 2015 Favourites stage 4 - Wanted: King of the cobbles

Last year Lars Boom took the cobbled stage, but as he moved to Astana this winter don’t be surprised he is to chaperone leader Nibali. Then again, in 2014 Boom won the stage for Belkin while two Astana’s were chasing him…

Boom is best on wet cobbles and Paris-Roubaix title-holder John Degenkolb would prefer a dry, sunny day, just like his colleague-sprinter Alexander Kristoff, who is a powerhouse on the medieval rocks also.

Other likely contenders are Sep Vanmarcke, Peter Sagan, Jens Debusschere and Greg Van Avermaet. Geraint Thomas is probably forced to stay near Froome, to shoo away any danger.

Zdenek Stybar is a force to be reckoned with on the cobbles. The former World Cyclo-cross champion was runner-up in this year’s Paris-Roubaix.

*** John Degenkolb, Alexander Kristoff, Zdenek Stybar
** Peter Sagan, Lars Boom, Sep Vanmarcke
*  Geraint Thomas, Jens Debusschere, Greg Van Avermaet

Tour de France 2015 stage 4: Routemaps, profiles and more

Click on the images to zoom.

All stages

Route 4th stage

Final part 4th stage

Profile 4th stage, with sectors

Scheduled times

Cobbled sectors

Profile intermediate sprint

Final kilometres 4th stage

Start and finish at Google Maps




Video 4th stage




2014: How Boom stage 5

Streetview sector 6: Rue de Bermerain

Tour de France Tweets

Start sector 2: Ferme de la Fontaine-Au-Tertre