From the 12th to 18th of August we have on the road the Tour de Pologne. It collides with other big races in the calendar but every year it features a quality startlist with all kinds of riders. The seven stages will provide plenty opportunities in the only World Tour stage-race that comes between the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana. We preview stage 4.
The fourth day of racing starts immediately with a climb right out of Kudowa-Zdrój. 6.8 kilometers at 5.2% is hard enough for quality riders to go up the road and form a strong group that can fight for the stage win and steal the win from the sprinters. The first half of the stage is very rolling and features a few ascents that are not easy. But it does get easier towards the end.
The final half of the day is mostly flat and honestly with very little to mention. The riders head east with a bunch sprint expected in Prudnik. It's not a technical bunch sprint at all, but a regular one. There's no downhill or uphill, only very slight bends in the final kilometers but one where the leadouts will wait until as late as possible to move to the front.
The Weather
Western breeze from the west growing during the stage. This will provide for a tailwind in the final kilometers and clear tailwind sprint, good for the heavyweights. Small possibility of rain showers later on the day.
The Favourites
Tim Merlier - Master of the first bunch sprint in any stage-race. It's almost incredibly how often the Belgian succeeds in that specific timing. Hence, this being the first bunch sprint, I believe he can keep this habit going. Bert van Lerberghe is here as the trusted right-hand man but Soudal - Quick-Step can also support him with Paul Magnier.
Olav Kooij - Visma don't come with a team heavily focused on the Dutchman, but he has proven in the past that he does not need it. Tosh van der Sande is an interesting leadout man to at least have him in position. Kooij can handle the climbs but even on these flat pure sprints he can fight for the win with the very best.
We have Phil Bauhaus who will be helped by Andrea Pasqualon and Fred Wright; Jordi Meeus who will have luxury leadout men Danny van Poppel and Ryan Mullen; Pascal Ackermann who has Jake Stewart after the duo thrived at the Tour de France; Lidl-Trek who have Mads Pedersen supported by two-time stage winner Thibau Nys and Edward Theuns...
The likes of Caleb Ewan, Sam Bennett, Gerben Thijssen, Alberto Dainese, Casper van Uden, Laurence Pithie and Stanislaw Aniolkowski are also expected to take part in the sprint and honestly a victory can come for any of these riders, it's quite a strong sprinter field.
Prediction Tour de Pologne 2024 stage 4:
*** Tim Merlier, Mads Pedersen
** Jordi Meeus, Olav Kooij, Phil Bauhaus
* Pascal Ackermann, Caleb Ewan, Sam Bennett, Gerben Thijssen, Casper van Uden, Stanislaw Aniolkowski, Alberto Dainese
Pick: Tim Merlier
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