2025 Vuelta a España Stage 4 Results & Recap
Stage 4 of the 2025 Vuelta a España is in the books. The final results and standings are below, followed by our recap of how the race unfolded.
Race Recap
Turner Wins Stage 4
Ben Turner pulled off a stunning upset in Voiron on Stage 4 of the Vuelta a España, taking victory from the sprint favorite Jasper Philipsen after a day that started in the Italian Alps and ended in the heart of France. The 206.7-kilometre route combined high-altitude climbs with a frantic flat sprint, leading to one of the most dramatic finishes of the race thus far.
The day started aggressively as the peloton left Susa and almost immediately splintered under the pressure of repeated attacks. Louis Vervaeke, Sean Quinn, Joel Nicolau, Kamiel Bonneu, and Mario Aparicio broke away first, but were caught and rejoined as the terrain began to climb. The Col de Montgenèvre, making its Vuelta debut, set the tone for the morning with Vervaeke first over the summit, while the peloton kept the gap just over three minutes.
The race’s tone shifted as the riders climbed higher into the Alps. The Col du Lautaret, standing at 2,059 meters, presented a longer, more consistent challenge. Quinn remained at the front there as well, surpassing Nicolau and extending his battle with the Caja Rural rider for the mountains classification. Although the breakaway was rarely given much freedom, the contest for KOM points was intense, and Nicolau’s perseverance ultimately earned him the polka dots — the first jersey for his team since Omar Fraile’s 2015 victory.
Once over the Lautaret, the race dynamic shifted again. With most of the climbing behind them, the peloton shifted its focus to the flat roads leading into Voiron. Lidl–Trek and Alpecin-Deceuninck set the pace, protecting their sprinters for the final. Sinuhe Fernandez tried to ignite some late drama with a solo attack, followed later by Bruno Armirail, who briefly gained a 25-second lead. But with the speed in the bunch climbing past 50 kilometres per hour, there was little chance for a lone rider to stay away.
The intermediate sprint at Noyarey sharpened the day’s stakes. Mads Pedersen blasted through for maximum points and bonus seconds, confirming Lidl–Trek’s intent to shape the green jersey contest. David Gaudu, yesterday’s stage winner and the current race leader, also placed inside the top five, padding his buffer in the general classification by precious seconds. That move briefly put Jonas Vingegaard into the virtual lead on the road, but Gaudu’s effort was enough to keep the maillot rojo on his shoulders by day’s end.
The approach to Voiron was chaotic and dangerous, with narrow roads and a pinch point at 10 kilometres to go triggering a heavy crash that claimed several riders, including George Bennett in his second fall of the week. Up front, Alpecin-Deceuninck appeared to have matters under control, launching Philipsen into a perfect position as the road tilted slightly upward toward the line. Yet just when it seemed inevitable, Turner surged from behind with a perfectly timed sprint, edging the Belgian star in a photo finish.\n
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