João Almeida made a big move in the Tour of Switzerland, winning the fourth stage and closing the gap to the leader. He started the day 3 minutes and 17 seconds behind Romain Grégoire, but cut that to 2 minutes and 8 seconds. Almeida, who rides for UAE Emirates, took off on the toughest climb of the day, an 8.8-kilometer hill with an average grade of 7.3%. He was 43 seconds ahead of the pack when he reached the top.
On the long descent that followed, Almeida picked up a few more seconds. Then, in the final 10 kilometers, he pushed his advantage even further on a gentle uphill stretch. Grégoire had a tough time on the climb and was in danger of losing the yellow jersey, but he managed to catch back up to the group that included his countryman Kévin Vauquelin, who is second in the overall standings.
The real challenge comes on Thursday, with the queen stage of the Tour of Switzerland. The 183.8-kilometer route from La Punt to Santa Maria in Calanca features three first-category climbs, including two brutal ones at the end. Both of those climbs are 4.5 kilometers long with a 10% grade, and the last one finishes at the end of the stage. It’s going to be a big test for Almeida and the rest of the riders.
Stage Highlights
- João Almeida wins the fourth stage of the Tour of Switzerland
- Cuts the gap to leader Romain Grégoire to 2 minutes and 8 seconds
- Thursday’s queen stage features three first-category climbs
The riders will face a tough day on Thursday, but Almeida is looking strong after his stage win. Can he keep up the momentum and make a push for the yellow jersey?