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Can anyone beat the Tour de France sprinters in Nogaro?
Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of stage 4 of the 2023 Tour de France!
Today's stage should provide another chance for the sprinters to battle it out on a 181.8km route that runs from Dax to Nogaro. We'll be heading east out of Dax, a place known as a spa destination, and it should certainly be a relaxing ride for those in the peloton with only one category 4 climb on the menu.
Yesterday saw the first bunch sprint of the 2023 Tour de France with Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) taking the win ahead of Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious) and Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Dstny).
It wasn't a stage without controversy, however, as Philipsen had to wait for the UCI commissaires to review the sprint footage after there were questions raised over whether he deviated and impacted Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) in the sprint. He was eventually confirmed as winner and will be looking to double his stage win tally today.
Riders complained yesterday over safety after Philipsen's move to close the door on Van Aert was mainly down to the design of the finish. There was a chicane inside the final kilometre which cause Philipsen to go for the shortest line to the finish, as sprinters should, and the barriers curved meaning Van Aert actually hit by a spectator's phone and stopped his sprint to fight another day.
One of the most outspoken was Fabio Jakobsen (Soudal-Quick Step). Catch up with what he had to say after the finish below.
Fabio Jakobsen calls out dangers of Tour de France chicane sprint finishes
Here's an early look at Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) from the start today. He's been enjoying nearly every moment of his final Tour de France and could be well in the fight for today's stage victory. Read below his reaction to finishing sixth yesterday and his thoughts on today's finish as he tries to again overtake Eddy Merckx for the most stage wins in Tour history.
No record but promising signs for Mark Cavendish on first sprint stage
All of the riders and teams are currently completing sign-ons in Dax as they prepare for the start of stage 4. This will be the last flat stage before we enter the gates of the Pyrenees and start tackling the mountains that straddle the French and Spanish border.
The riders are making their way to the start line now. We've got the same four leaders in each of our classification: Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) in yellow, Victory Lafay (Cofidis) in Green, Neilson Powless (EF-Education EasyPost) in polka-dots and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) in White. Laurent Pichon (Arkéa Samsic) is also on the front row after being awarded yesterday's combatively prize.
We will, of course, have our neutralised roll-out of 4.5km behind the lead car in southwestern France before the flag is waved.
Early mechanical issue for Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) in the neutral zone. He's back on his back and getting back in now.
181.8KM TO GO
We're underway with stage 4 of the 2023 Tour de France! We've got no one fancying an early attack as of yet, and it's no surprise given just how absolutely flat today's parcours is.
Here's a look at Lafay before the stage in what will likely be his final stage in the green jersey as he is tied on points with Philipsen on 80, who likely be in the top three in the finale. He's pictured here with legendary Tour de France sprinter, André Darrigade, who won 22 stages of the Tour in his career and the points classification twice. He would have certainly fancied a finished such as today's into Nogaro.
💚 Le maillot vert @victorlafay, en compagnie d’une légende du sprint à domicile à @VilledeDax : le Lévrier des Landes André Darrigade, lui même double vainqueur du classement par points et de 22 étapes sur le Tour ! #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/q0VDINasRaJuly 4, 2023
It must be said, the parcours is delivering as expected, a very calm start with no one wanting to neither push the pace nor get into any sort of early breakaway that certainly won't make it.
It's all smiles for now in the bunch with all the riders enjoying a second calm day on the bike after the explosive opening duo of stages. Perhaps a bit of a surprise to see not a single rider from a French team trying to get away if not at least for the TV time.
Cavendish is having a very friendly chin-wag with former teammate Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-Quick Step). Both have the World Champions bands on their jerseys and both should be involved in the day's final, Cavendish in the sprint and Alaphilippe in the lead-out for Jakobsen.
165KM TO GO
Status quo remains in a very relaxed Tour de France peloton.
Luca Mozzato (Arkéa-Samsic) is back at the doctors car getting some more dressings for the injuries he sustained after crashing on stage 2. He finished 12th in the sprint yesterday.
Happy 4th of July! Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) is looking good in his US national champion's jersey. There are six US riders at this years Tour:
- Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek)
- Lawson Craddock (Jayco-AlUla)
- Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar)
- Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma)
- Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost)
- Kevin Vermaerke (dsm-firmenich)
150KM TO GO
Well the situation is largely the same with no one yet moving off the front and the riders just taking a moment to have a nature-break and chill out in the bunch before any sort of real racing kicks off.
While there is a moment, make sure to read Stephen Farrand's stage preview for the day which explains the possible sprint finish and explores options for a late attack.
Can anyone beat the Tour de France sprinters in Nogaro?
Dsm-firmenich are even joking over the race radio for their riders to get into position. Matt Winston is having fun with it and making sure the riders don't lose focus.
Alpecin-Deceuninck and Soudal-Quick Step are currently leading the peloton through Saint-Sever as they continue traversing east.
Defending champion Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) is giving the cameras a smile on a day I'm sure he would appreciate before we enter the Pyrenees. This isn't a day for him, but the end of the week should be his chance to shine.
Make sure to read what Cavendish's team manager, Alexander Vinokourov had to say on his sprinter's chance of taking the record that everyone keeps talking about.
Vinokourov: The most important thing is that Cavendish keeps calm
120KM TO GO
Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Vimsa) has decided it's time to liven up. Have we got the Belgian attack once again? Paris-Nice 2021 we saw a similar Belgian coup and we're seeing something similar now. Just a little something to make the legs feel awake.
There are gaps in the peloton now, here we go. From nowhere we've come to life. Van Aert is joined by the likes of Naesen and Devenyns at the front just kicking on. Campenaerts and Hermans are making their presence known as the pace rises.
Things have calmed again after that small section of action.
We're back to the status quo of before as things now calm down. We're gradually going north-east towards the intermediate sprint at Notre-Dame des Cyclistes.
It's time to grab a musette and some bidons as the peloton heads past some soigneurs.
100KM TO GO
Hopefully the upcoming intermediate sprint will kick the stage into life after a slow day. With no breakaway up the road, there will be 20 points available in the green jersey competition, so the sprint teams with be enthusiastic to go for it.
Jakobsen is showing himself at the front alongside Mikel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates). There's still time for chit-chat as we still aren't properly racing yet.
Take a look below at some of the finishing corners for today's stage which ends in Nogaro on the Circuit Paul Armagnac, a motor racing circuit, from the view of the Jayco AlUla team bus.
#TDF2023 Bike race or bus race!? 🚌 🚎 🤪 pic.twitter.com/IxnS2RoYakJuly 4, 2023
The sprint teams are just beginning to sort out their trains with the intermediate sprint closing in. Alpecin-Deceuninck has occupied the left-hand side of the road as they try to put Philipsen into the virtual lead of the green jersey competition. All he needs to do is score more points that Lafay as they are on the same total of 80 for now.
90KM TO GO
We've just dipped past the halfway mark of the stage!
It's an arrow straight run into the intermediate sprint so we should see the pace slowly ramping up now. Van Aert is still not contesting for points as he said he wouldn't.
Philipsen takes the full haul of 20 points at the intermediate sprint. The Belgian made it look easy after another great show of strength from the Alpecin-Deceuninck lead-out. That was quite the warm-up for the end of the day.
Top five of the intermediate sprint (points):
- Philipsen (20)
- Coquard (17)
- Ewan (15)
- Pedersen (13)
- Meeus (11)
Finally, we have an attack! It's only taken 100km, but two riders from Normandy have taken their chance to get out in front: Benoît Cosnefroy (AG2R Citroën) and Anthony Delaplace (Arkéa-Samsic).
Surprise, Surprise. A breakaway goes and gets a gap that is approaching the minute mark and Tim 'El Tractor' Declercq (Soudal-Quick Step) has taken up his usual position on the front to begin the chase.
Philipsen has moved into the lead of the green jersey competition ahead of the sprint, and should definitely be wearing it tomorrow unless Lafay somehow wins the stage or he scores 0 points in the final sprint and either Pedersen or Van Aert cleans up the full 50 awarded for victory. Current standings:
- Philipsen - 100 points
- Lafay - 80 points
- Van Aert - 52 points
- Pedersen - 52 points
- Cavendish - 46 points
Today's peloton has been incredibly calm and we're just starting to build up to what is set to be an electric sprint finish. Those with the best sprinters are making their way to the front to start the controlling phase. Soudal-QuickStep for Jakobsen, Jayco AlUla for Groenewegen and Alpecin-Deceuninck for Philipsen, yesterday's winner.
65KM TO GO
Cosnefroy and Delaplace have a 0:54 advantage over the peloton for now.
We've been heading east all day up to now, but in around 10km, we will change direction and start heading south before the peloton turns back on itself and heads west to the motor racing circuit in Nogaro. There will be a change in wind direction which could make some of the riders and teams nervous.
We've just seen one of the classics sights on the Tour de France on the side of the road! Didi the Devil!
Our two escapees for the day: Cosnefroy and Delaplace.
40KM TO GO
There is talk of a narrow-ish entrance onto the finishing motor circuit which will come around 3km from the line. We should see an almighty fight to be near the front once they enter the circuit. Things should start heating up nicely from here on in.
The lead for the two men out in front has decreased to just 37 seconds now, and we are about to turn right and begin our journey west towards Nogaro. The only categorised climb of the day crests around 10km from now on the Côte de Dému. It's a category 4 climb and only offers one point for the first rider to reach the top.
The nervousness is rising with the peloton closing in on the break and approaching the important moments of the stage. Everyone will want to stay safe after such an easy day and the mountains awaiting them in the coming days.
Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana Qazaqstan) is having issues at the back of the peloton with his chain and isn't able to re-string it yet. He's back on his bike now and on his way back to the bunch after nicely being helped by a Cofidis mechanic.
With a finish on a motor racing circuit today, avid fans will remember recent finishes into the Imola track in Italy for the 2020 World Championships and the use of the Fuji International Speedway in the latest olympic road race.
Both of those finishes were preceded, however, by much more difficult routes than today and today should see a big bunch fighting for the win on the wide and winding road.
Sam Bennett (Bora-hansgrohe) has also won a sort of sprint stage into the Imola motor racing circuit in the past at the 2018 Giro d'Italia, but he of course isn't here today and it will be instead the man he beat on that Giro stage, Danny van Poppel (Bora-hansgrohe), doing the lead-out for Jordi Meeus (Bora-hansgrohe) who was preferred over the Irishman for this Tour.
30KM TO GO
EF Education-EasyPost have decided not to chase the singular KOM point if the break stay ahead, but if they are reeled back in then expect the American to fly off the front.
Alpecin-Deceuninck still has their full train in formation working at the head of the race. They are clearly carrying a lot of confidence after their near flawless performance yesterday to take the win.
Delaplace takes the only KOM point of the day on the Côte de Dému.
Cosnefroy and Delaplace are all smiles out in front and merci to both of them for choosing to give the race some life after the intermediate sprint.
Van der Poel is stretching at the back of the peloton before he readies himself for another huge lead-out for Philipsen.
Runner-up on yesterday's sprint, Phil Bauhaus, praised his more GC-focused teammates for giving their all in aid of his sprint ambitions and you can see why as Pello Bilbao (Bahrain-Victorious) is once again doing the work at the head of the peloton for the German sprinter on Tour de France debut.
We're getting a look at the finishing straight which is, in stark contrast to yesterday, very wide and open, so it should be a pure test of sprinting speed and lead-out organisation. We've got a head crosswind in the straight, so the left-side will be the desired side for shelter. The tension continues to build.
20KM TO GO
Take a look at all the sprint teams getting into colour order in anticipation of the second big bunch sprint of the 2023 Tour de France.
🏁 23 KM The sprint race starts now 🚴♂️🚴♂️🚴♂️Le sprint commence dès maintenant 🚴🚴🚴#TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/OnKlQyTzB7July 4, 2023
The pace is increasing as we head towards our big finale. With such a narrow entrance to the motor racing circuit, we'll see the GC teams in and amongst it with the big sprinter. Hopefully everyone stays rubber-side down and safe.
Sam Welsford (dsm-firmenich) wasn't as close to the front as he may have been touted before the day in 13th. His whole team are now setup on the right-hand side of the road and will want to execute their lead-out much better today to give the rapid Aussie a chance at victory.
10KM TO GO
There will be a tricky left hand turn with around 7km to go and all the teams will want to be out in front at that crucial moment to ensure they can then lead into the Circuit Paul Armagnac.
Speeds are very high as we are heading downhill for the moment. There's some road furniture causing the peloton to split and reform. They are racing full gas for positions at the moment. US national champion Simmons is doing a fantastic job on the Fourth of July for Lidl-Trek and Mads Pedersen.
Luis Leon Sanchez is looking after Cavendish for now as the peloton is shredding the pace in anticipation for this left-hand turn.
Some dsm-firmenich riders have missed it and their train is completely shot to pieces. They are all looking around and has Sam Welsford had a disaster?
Bora-hansgrohe are setting up their train nicely for the Van Poppel and Meeus combo. Jumbo-Visma are looking after Vingegaard and fighting with Lotto-Dstny.
5KM TO GO
We've had another roundabout with a faster side which has dropped some more riders out of the positions they wanted. Nils Politt is driving it on the front for BORA but all the teams are getting desperate for that front spot.
Jumbo-Visma hit the front and are doing a fantastic job for both Vingegaard but not Van Aert. Cavendish is being piloted well by Cees Bol (Astana Qazaqstan) for now, but he'll want to keep this position for the final.
3KM TO GO
Here we go onto the circuit! Alpecin are moving up with heir big train as the riders compete a right turn and then enter the circuit. van Hooydonck and Laporte are looking for Van Aert, but they cannot see him. Bahrain have done a great job for now but is Bauhaus in the right position?
Cavendish is in fantastic position now! The Brit will want to latch onto the right wheel for the finale to launch out of the slipstream. Mohoric is on the front for Bauhaus with Vingegaard in second wheel.
Crash for Jakobsen in the final 2km!
Disaster for Soudal-QuickStep and its Cofidis doing a great job for now.
We're on the big straight now for the final sprint. Here comes Van der Poel and Philipsen.
Ewan and Philipsen to the line! What a horrible, chaotic finish that was. We've had an absolute disaster on stage four of the Tour de France. So many riders crashed in the hectic corners and there will be a lot that comes out in the wash after this stage.
It was very close between Ewan and Philipsen, so we will wait for confirmation.
STAGE FINISH
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) wins stage 4 of the Tour de France ahead of Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Dstny) by half a wheel. Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious) had another strong finish in third as we have the same podium as yesterday in a different order.
Two from two for Philipsen. Van der Poel did an incredible lead-out that speared through the rest of the bunch and gave Philipsen enough of a launch to hold off the charging Ewan.
Take a look at how close it was on the line for Philipsen and Ewan. Van der Poel again proved to be the difference for the Belgian sprinter. Jakobsen is giving a thumbs up to the cameras thankfully after his high-speed crashed. He's visibly injured but hopefully it's not much more than a cosmetic issue.
Here's what stage winner Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) had to say after his second victory in as many days:
"It was close in the end, I was happy they confirmed quickly. It was a really easy stage, I think everybody wanted to save legs for the Pyrenees tomorrow and the day after."
"In the final kilometres entering the circuit in the final, I heard some crashes around me, so I hope everybody is ok, but it was a bit of a hectic final with the turns in the end."
"I lost my team as well, but in the final straight I found Mathieu van der Poel again and he did an amazing pull to get me to victory, but my legs were cramping and Caleb were coming close."
"It's a nice finish but I thought it would be a bit more safe with wide roads, but the turns were also tricky, especially going full gas in the turns. Luckily the tyres were good enough and I didn’t slip away. It was a nice finish, but I hope everyone who crashed is ok."
Philipsen also moved into a comprehensive lead in the green jersey competition with his haul of 70 points in the stage.
"I thought I had it, but I was not sure but quickly after I got confirmation," he said. "I think it’s looking good for green but it’s only four stages and the Tour is a long, long way, but we’ll try to defend it."
Mark Cavendish (Astana-Qazaqstan) was unable to break the record and win his 35th stage again, but he did take another promising 5th place.
"Carnage it was. Every team would've had a plan for that final and I bet you there wasn't any that it went right for, apart from Jumbo [Visma] getting the guy into the narrow roads early, Cavendish said after the finish. "It was a real mixing point of riders, I was constantly analysing who was there and who had other teammates, jumping from train to train."
"When I saw Mads [Pedersen] had Stuyven for him, that's the one. Stuyven's gonna lead him out, Mads is gonna go early and it's a headwind finish on a long straight. I though I'd use that, but they just didn't go."
"At one point I was like okay 350 [metres], maybe you should just hit now, sure someone would pass me, but you just limit your losses, but it's the Tour so you gamble."
"I'm most worried about Luis Leon Sanchez, I think he's gone down."
Here's Fabio Jakobsen (Soudal-QuickStep) after his crash. He got back on his and finished the stage thankfully, but there was a whole host of other riders who hit the deck in this crash-marred finish.
Luis León Sánchez (Astana-Qazaqstan) was one of those to fall and his team have tweeted that he has gone to hospital for check. Axel Zingle (Cofidis) tangled in the final lead-out with Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X) and they both crashed by the barriers on the final straight. Jacopo Guarnieri (Lotto-Dstny) is also reported to have crashed in the chaotic final kilometres.
Van der Poel has proved the difference for Philipsen on both today's and yesterday's stage. He bullied Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) out of his way on the final straight and launched Philipsen to the line with tremendous speed.
"A circuit is not safer than a road to finish I can tell you this, but it was really fast and the corners are quite difficult to judge in the bunch and you also have nowhere to go so I'm really happy I managed to stay upright, Van der Poel said after the stage. "In the end I found a gap at the perfect moment with Jasper [Philipsen] and I think I dropped him off like he wanted to and it was close I think, but he managed to finish it off again so it's gonna be nice again in the room tonight."
"The confidence is there now and there's a little pressure now and I think Jasper and I together with the rest of the team and Jonas as well, at the moment as a lead-out, we are really well-oiled and I think I'm a really good last man for him. It's just a good team combination."
Van der Poel also commented on the safety after a crash-marred finale, he said: "I enjoy it afterwards, but during it could have been me on the ground afterwards, it's just super dangerous, even more than so in other races and its nice that he finishes it off and that we took the risk for something today."
Neither Astana Qazaqstan nor Lotto-Dstny have confirmed as of yet, but Luis León Sánchez and Jacopo Guarnieri are reported to have broken their collarbones and will play no further part in this year's Tour de France.
This would be a big loss for Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Dstny) and Mark Cavendish's (Astana-Qazaqstan) sprint ambitions for this race as they both play important roles in the final few kilometres for their respective sprinters.
Make sure you read Cyclingnews' full stage report below and check out the growing picture gallery from the day's action.
Tour de France: Jasper Philipsen wins two in a row in crash-marred stage 4
There were no changes to the general classification as the overall contenders avoided the chaos of the final 3km and with all the crashes, they would have been pleased to arrive at the finish in Nogaro unscathed before a battle in the Pyrenees begins tomorrow. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) remains in the yellow jersey, six seconds ahead of his brother Simon (Jayco AlUla) and his teammate Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates). Last year's winner, Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), sits in sixth overall, 22 seconds down on the Brit.
I'll leave you with Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in his new green jersey after overtaking Victor Lafay (Cofidis) by a huge margin with his win in the final sprint and the intermediate sprint. Alpecin-Deceuninck have shown their dominance in the first two bunch sprints of this Tour, but tomorrow will be the first full chance for the climbers to stretch their legs as we enter the Pyrenees.
Stage 5 is 162.7km from Pau to Laruns and we will hit the first hors categorie climb of this year's Tour de France at the Col de Soudet, before tackling two more categorised climbs, including the Col de Marie Blanque.
If you want some overnight research to do, this is almost a copy, paste of stage 9 of the 2020 Tour de France, which was actually the first Tour stage won by Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), so expect to see the Slovenian in full attack mode. Come back to Cyclingnews' for the live report and a whole host of other content being produced on the ground at the race.
