PREVIEW & FAVOURITES | Renewi Tour 2025 stage 4 - Merlier vs Milan; whilst De Lie and van der Poel fight for race win

From the 20th to the 24th of August the World Tour peloton returns to the Benelux, but not for one-day races this time around, but instead some high-octane stage-racing. The Renewi Tour often provides opportunities for the classics specialists, sprinters and time-trialists to all battle for quality results. We preview stage 4.

The fourth day of racing is a mixed one, starting in Riemst and having almost 200 kilometers on the menu. Definitely not a pan-flat day, but the question will be what difference the climbs on the menu can do. It won't be easy to damage the peloton but there is ground for attacks.

The entire stage is in a circuit format north of Liège, three laps of a rolling circuit with plenty small ascents. The most important to note is the Slingerberg which is 500 meters long at 9.4%, ending with 28.5 kilometers to go. Most of the way into Bilzen-Hoeselt however is flat, and so a sprint is still the likely scenario to decide the stage.

We could see some attacks for sure. Mathieu van der Poel and Tim Wellens are still within range of the GC win but no-one else seems to be which opens up freedom for a lot of quality riders. And they can specially benefit to aim for the podium or put rivals behind, as behind the front trio, the gaps between all other riders really are not big. Ultimately however preventing a bunch sprint will be difficult, specially when you've got a lot of them here that are in stupendous form.

*** Tim Merlier, Olav Kooij
** Arnaud de Lie, Pavel Bittner
* Biniam Girmay, Dylan Groenewegen, Milan Fretin, Paul Penhoët, Marijn van den berg, Mathieu van der Poel, Arvid de Kleijn

Pick: Olav Kooij

How: Sprint finish.