Stage 4 of Criterium du Dauphiné was contested as an individual time trial on a 34.4-kilometer route from the medieval village of Saint-Germain-Laval to Neulise in Loire, France. The terrain was flat to false-flat and the roads were small, curvy, and technical.

The stage 4 time trial was important for the General Classification favorites in the Criterium du Dauphiné peloton and it was expected the stage would have at least a somewhat decisive influence on the final General Classification in this year’s race.

Favorites for a victory in the time trial included Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep), Primoz Roglic (Bora-Hansgrohe), Matteo Jorgenson (Team Visma-Lease a Bike), Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos-Grenadiers), Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates), Gianni Moscon (Soudal-QuickStep), Bruno Armirail (Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale), Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), and Joshua Tarling (Ineos-Grenadiers). Some were also having high hopes for American Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost).

20-year-old Joshua Tarling (Ineos-Grenadiers) set an early fastest time and entered the hot seat after 42:06 minutes in the bike saddle. German Nils Politt (UAE Team Emirates) set the second-best time. But many riders had yet to leave the start ramp.

General Classification favorites such as Evenepoel and Roglic started their time trials.

While preliminary stage leader Tarling preserved the fastest time at Intermediate Timing Point 2, Evenepoel set the second-best time, while Powless was third. Evenepoel was less than a second behind Tarling. Would he prevail at the finish line?

Neilson Powless set the second-best time at the finish for his EF Education-EasyPost team.

Everything was being optimized for the important time trial and final test before this year’s Tour de France, so riders were spotted wearing their FlowBio hydration sensors. They needed the best possible data they could get.

Primoz Roglic was eighth at Intermediate Timing Point 1. Slightly disappointing for the Bora-Hansgrohe team leader. Perhaps the coming Red Bull sponsorship of his team would be of help.

Evenepoel reached the finish line and clocked the fastest time. He would now replace 20-year-old Tarling in the hot seat. But other riders remained on the roads and the excitement was still intense.

Matteo Jorgenson set the new fourth-best time at Intermediate Timing Point 2. Minutes later, Primoz Roglic set the third-best time, pushing Jorgenson down to fifth.

Powless clocked the fourth-best time at the finish line in Neulise. Well done by the American rider. Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) was sixth. But some riders were still active on their bikes.

Race leader Derek Gee (Team PremierTech) set a new sixth-best time at the finish. A fine performance from the Canadian rider. 

Time Trial World Champion Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) won the stage 4 time trial ahead of Joshua Tarling (Ineos-Grenadiers) and Primoz Roglic (Bora-Hansgrohe). Matteo Jorgenson finished fourth for Team Visma-Lease a Bike, while Neilson Powless took seventh, Juan Ayuso was ninth, and Tao Geoghegan Hart completed the top ten.

“I’m really happy,” stage winner Evenepoel told Roadcycling.com after being celebrated on the podium. “Three weeks with almost no bike because of the crash and I’m already at this level. Specialized gave me a very nice bike in form of a new bike and helmet for the time trial. We’re on a good way, but there’s still a long way to go before the Tour de France,” Evenepoel explained.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for additional race coverage from Criterium du Dauphiné 2024.

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