31st edition...
4th stage of the Ain Bugey Valromey Tour 2018
Sunday, July 15, 2018 - Artemare / Les Plans d'Hotonnes Biathlon Stadium - 105.5 km
Our stage partners
[rev_slider alias="tour2018_sponsors_etape_4"]
[rev_slider alias="tour2018_sponsors_etape_4"]
Profile and route analysis
With a length of 105.5 km, it is one kilometer shorter than in 2017. At the request of Communauté de commune du Plateau d'Hauteville, Syndicat mixte du Plateau de Retord, Commune Haut Valromey. Each year, the route will alternate between HAUTEVILLE and LES PLANS d'HOTONNES. The special feature of this stage is that the VERY DIFFICULT finish will take place on the biathlon stadium. as in 2008, 10 years ago! As a result, the yellow jersey from the previous day is likely to have heavy legs (after the GRAND COLOMBIER). the GRAND COLOMBIER) to climb the three first-category cols. And as in the past, an outsider can put everyone in agreement. On the Valromey, nothing is decided until the last stage. except in 2013 with the exception of VAN DER POEL (4 days in yellow). But this exception may not be repeated be repeated this year, for the good reason that we'll be covering the first two cols in the opposite LA ROCHETTE, LE CUVILLAT. At the foot and at the end of the descent of the latter (at PETIT ABERGEMENT) we'll have to climb the CROIX D'ERBEY du JALINARD, an unclassified climb with a VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE. Many of them will be out of time, and will have to reach the finish at PKBA 52.1 Km, 4.5 Km away. For the remaining riders, the hardest part will be to climb RICHEMONT as on stage 2 2017, then descend again to DON (altitude 360m), except that the ascent will not be as on the previous day to LA FAVERGE, but via the VIEU hump, with passages at 10%, to CHAMPAGNE, the capital of VALROMEY, and continue on the CHEMILLIEU plateau and SONGIEU to HOTONNES. The difficulties don't end there, however, as the riders take the Petite Route des Sapins between HOTONNES and LES PLANS. A very tough 7 km climb, and I think that's it! There will only be two or three riders left in the lead, well placed overall, to make it back to the biathlon stadium. They'll have to be on their toes to contest the last GPM, which is 600m downhill followed by a flat finish. There will be no room for overtaking, and whoever comes out on top will win the mountain jersey, the stage victory and why not the yellow jersey? A GREAT SPECTACLE IN STORE !!!!!
List of starters
Runner rankings
- STAGE WINNER: DA COSTAS BARROS Raphël - Team Vulco VCLVV (France)
- YELLOW JACKET: MARTIN GUTIERREZ Alex - Portalec Fundacion Contador (Spain)
- GREEN SHIRT SECOND IN THE OVERALL RANKING: VANDENABEELE Henri - Crabbe Toiture (BELGIUM)
- JUNIOR WHITE JACKET: BAUDIN Alex - Comité de Savoie (France)
- RED SHIRT WITH DOTS: DA COSTAS BARROZ Raphaël - Team Vulco VCLVV (France)
- MAILLOT ROUGE SPRINT: LE PIOUFFE Nathan- VC Pays de Loudéac (France)
- GENERAL TEAM RANKING: IKO ENERTHEM BEO BANK (Belgium)
Race videos
Complete film of stage 4 of the Ain Bugey Valromey Tour - duration: 22:13
Video summary of stage 4 of the Ain Bugey Valromey Tour - duration: 2:08