Tour de France 2018 Favourites stage 4: False flat sprint to the line

Presumably, it's up to the fast finishers after a journey of almost 200 kilometers through the gently undulating Breton countryside. Timing is key as the last 1.5 kilometres are a false flat straight to the line. (Slideshow route/profile)

La Grande Boucle’s 4th stage is played out in the south of Brittany. The gently undulating course leads to a 4 kilometres finishing straight, while the last 1.5 kilometres are a false flat. So it’s important not to go too soon in the sprint if you prefer to avoid the risk of running out of steam.

Pocketing five victories, Marcel Kittel was the best fast finisher in last year’s Tour de France, while Dylan Groenewegen and Arnaud Démare both netted one sprint. Of these three, the Frenchman is best suited for this kind of arrival, as are other strong uphill sprinters such as Peter Sagan, Fernando Gaviria and Michael Matthews.

The 1st stage of this year’s Tour de France was won by Fernando Gaviria ahead of Peter Sagan and Marcel Kittel. The Colombian is backed-up by the best lead-out team, so chances are he will win again.

The second sprint was played out in a crash-marked finale. Gaviria and Michael Matthews were taken taken down before Sagan outgunned Sonny Colbrelli and Arnaud Démare on the line.

Favourites 4th stage 2018 Tour de France

*** Arnaud Démare, Fernando Gaviria, Peter Sagan, Michael Matthews
** Dylan Groenewegen, André Greipel, John Degenkolb, Sonny Colbrelli
* Alexander Kristoff, Marcel Kittel, Mark Cavendish, Magnus Cort