Stage 4 is one of two Mountain stages in the race with the other one being a time trial. And it isn’t an easy mountain stage as it features 3 Cat 1 climbs plus a Cat 2. The final climb peaks 9k before the end of the 176k stage. So downhill skills could matter.
The favorites are the climbers:
30ks ridden and a 24-rider breakaway has been established. Their lead is 2’41. The list includes some GC outsiders who lost time yesterday: Diaz, Horvat Berthet, Bizkarra, Iturria Bonnamour, Kanepejs, La Lavandier Miller Kozhatayev, Pernsteiner, Vine Kung Berlin, Kmieliauskas Berwick, Sunderland Dall'Oste Paulus Cuming Abolaji, Schlegel, Sleen Van Zyl
Kanepejs, the KOM leader, is the only one in the break with any KOM points and is also best placed on GC, 1’14 behind the leader.
128k to go. The breakaway is on the first climb, the Cat 2 Col des Mosse. Their lead is 3’24, which is the largest its been.
1.4k to climb and La Lavandier makes the first move. Schlegel and Kanepejs on his wheel. The peloton is 3’45 behind.
La Lavandier and Kanepejs fade. Schlegel just holds off Diaz for the points with Horvat and Sleen next.
110k to go for the peloton. They are on the descent, all the teams of the top GC guys working to keep the lead a manageable 3’37. The breakaway is about to start the next climb, the Cat 1, Col de la Croix. The Col de la Croix is climbed a second time as the final climb of the race.
Paulus, Dall’Oste and Cumming attack the break 2.3k from the top. Abolaji has been dropped from the break. The peloton is just under 4 minutes behind.
1k to climb, Dall'Oste is trying to ride the other two off his wheel. Schlegel is the closest to them at 41 seconds. Behind him are Diaz and Kung.
300 meters and Cuming seems to be the strongest of the 3.
Cuming takes first at the top followed by Dall'Oste and Paulus.
Schlegel takes 4th ahead of Diaz and Kung. The break has split up on the climb. They have a long descent now to regroup.
The KOM standings:
When the peloton reaches the top the lead is out to 6’33. Kaczmarek on the front.
By the time the leading riders reach the sprint point with 70k to go the group is back to six: Cuming, Dall’Oste, Paulus, Schlegel, Diaz and Kung. Most of the rest of the break is in a group 1’40 behind. The peloton has closed to 5’41. The leaders will reach the next climb, the Cat 1 Col de Morgins in just a few K.
10k to climb, the 2nd group of breakaway riders got to within 50 seconds of the 6 leaders but their gains have stopped now they are on the climb. Of the original breakaway only Abolaji is not still out front. Peloton has closed to 3’16 behind the leaders.
8.4k to climb for the peloton, Gillett pushing the pace. The 6 leaders have 40 seconds over the chase group and 2’46 over the peloton. The peloton down to 78 riders, a number of the Yellow Jersey’s teammates have been dropped including Soler, Conci and Keinath.
3k to climb for the leaders. The chase group is just 21 seconds behind although it has been reduced to 13 riders. The peloton at 2’10.
2.1k to go, Schlegel attacks the lead group. The other respond except Kung who has been dropped and is back with the chase group. The chase group has slowed and is back to 41 seconds behind. The peloton, which is down to 55 riders, is at 2’21.
1.1k to go, Schlegel still leads but Cuming and Dall’Oste look stronger. The other two are dropped.
Dall’Oste gets a small gap over the other 2. All the attacks have increased the gap over the peloton to 3’32.
Dall’Oste hangs on to take maximum points over Schlegel and Cuming.
Schlegel has done just enough to take the KOM lead with 30 points ahead of Dall'Oste and Cuming who are both on 28.
Kozhatayev and Pernsteiner have been saving energy in the 2nd breakaway group. They tear over the top of the climb but still have 1’40 to close on the leaders.
Rikunov leads a 45-rider peloton over the top of the climb. They trail by 4’04 with 53k to go. Schlegel started the day 3’18 down so he has the virtual yellow jersey at this point.
35k to go, the leaders are just starting the flat roads before the final climb. Dall’Oste, Schlegel and Cuming are back together and have been joined by La Lavandier who bridge over from the 2nd group on the descent. 42 seconds behind is another group with the two BWT riders plus Paulus and Iturria. A few other surviving breakaway riders spread out behind them with the peloton at 3’15.
The 2nd group of four is just 18 seconds behind the first group as they start the Col de la Croix for the 2nd time, 18.4k to the top then a 9k descent. The first time they only rode part of the climb and did it from the other side. The peloton is at 2’44.
Lane and Henttala lead the peloton on to the climb. Some remnants of the breakaway just ahead. The front group is 7-strong now (Pernsteiner dropped) and has a lead of 2’26.
15k to climb for the leaders. Iturria has been dropped. The peloton is just over 2 minutes down but Haig and Frankiny have just attacked.
Grmay closes the attackers down after about 1k but then they go again. The gap to the leaders has been reduced to 54 seconds.
With Haig and Frankiny just 28 seconds behind and the Rikunov-led peloton at 37 seconds, Kozhatayev, Dall'Oste and Schlegel give it one last throw of the dice and attack.
Haig and Frankiny are caught and Padun, Berhane and Taaramäe counter. The front 3 have a 44 second lead over these attackers. Still 12k to climb.
Haig, Penasa, and Frankiny join the other three on the attack and begin to pass the breakaway riders. Stüssi is leading another group back up to them just behind. Ahead Dall’Oste and Schlegel have dropped Kozhatayev.
19k to ride, Schlegel has dropped Dall'Oste A 15-rider favorites group is just 59 seconds down. The 15 are: Haig Padun Aular Berhane Shikai Taaramäe Sicard Ranaweera Nerz Penasa Stüssi Frankiny Habtemichael La Lavandier Cuming
Only Kraftwerk has two riders in the group. Biggest names missing are Carapaz and Pomoshnikov.
Just under 10k to climb, Padun and Penasa put in an attack.
8k to climb Schlegel has 16 seconds over Padun and 44 seconds over the rest of the favorites group, who, led by Aular, have brough Penasa back.
With 16k in the stage and 7.4k to climb Padun catches Schlegel. Brave riding from the Tryg man, he will win the most aggressive rider award but the GC favorites weren’t interested in a breakaway win today. These two have a lead of 49 seconds.
Haig takes off on his own after the two leaders. Schlegel still hanging on to Padun’s wheel.
5k to climb, Haig within 12 seconds of the two leaders. The rest of the chasers are 52 seconds behind.
3.5k to climb. Haig reaches the front but Berhane has brought the chase group to 28 seconds. Nerz is the first of that group to show signs of weakness and is almost dropped.
Shortly afterwards they all come together to form at 15 rider lead group which includes all the GC leaders plus Schlegel and Dall’Oste from the breakaway.
With 2.1k to climb it seems to be stalemate. In an impressive ride Garby has bridged up to this group to make it 16. There is a 5 rider group at 1’29 that includes Carapaz and Zimmermann.
1k banner on the climb, about 10k in the stage. Nobody willing or able to make a move. The chase group is just 48 seconds behind.
As they reach the top the group swells to 21 as the 5 chasers join. In addition to Carapaz and Zimmerman the group includes Kozhatayev, Rikunov and Masnada.
Padun attacks over the top with Dall’Oste on his wheel. Barring big time gaps on the descent today’s stage won’t affect the GC battle. Dall’Oste takes first place KOM points which gives him the lead in that competition.
Under the 10k banner Padun has a 9 second lead.
1k for Padun, he has the lead up to 17 seconds. Shikai leading the chase.
Padun takes the win after some quality descending. He will gain a little time plus a time bonus on his rivals.
300 meters for the rest. Haig, Frankiny and Dall’Oste furthest forward.
Frankiny edges out Haig for 2nd. Breakaway riders Schlegel and Dall'Oste take 4th and 5th.
The next five are Berhane, Rikunov, Masnada, Shikai and Aular.
Padun moves into 2nd on the GC, just 1 second behind Taaramäe. He also gets the points jersey lead.
Kraftwerk still leads the team’s competition and Habtemichael best young rider.
Tour de Romandie 
