“The peloton will decide” – Will Jasper Philipsen have a chance on Vuelta a Espana stage 4?

After opening the Vuelta a España with a victory on stage 1, Jasper Philipsen has been quiet in recent days, with no terrain suited to his sprinting strengths. That could change on stage 4, when the peloton leaves Italy for France, starting in Susa and racing to Voiron. The profile is far from simple, three categorized climbs in the first half will sap the legs before a long descent to the finish. A breakaway has a strong chance to survive, though if the sprinters’ teams control the pace, a reduced bunch sprint remains possible.

Philipsen was nowhere near the action on stage 3, dropped on the final ascent and unable to contest the finish. Reflecting afterwards, he told Eurosport, “I knew it was going to be a very tough stage, and it was. I didn't have good legs, but it was also just very difficult.”

The Belgian admitted that much will depend on how the race unfolds. “It depends on how the peloton rides, but we'll see. We have to try, but the peloton decides.”

The finish in Voiron is tricky in its own right. Riders will face a sweeping corner with 300 meters to go, followed by a drag to the line averaging 4%. It will not be a flat, straightforward sprint, meaning positioning and endurance will be just as important as pure speed. For Philipsen, the challenge is surviving the climbs and arriving with enough left to strike again.