Stage 4 of the Women's Tour was the first of two stages in Wales, with three groups sprinting for the hills and a fifth to Black Mountain, the first summit finish in a British stage race that is sure to decide the overall winner. A great race unfolded, with the time difference commanding the GC ahead of the stage.

The Women's Tour also had an uphill finish when it finished at Burton Dassett Country Park on stage 4 in 2019, but that climb was only 1.2 km long. In contrast, the climb up The Black Mountain (Y Mynydd Du in Welsh) was 9 km long, testing the mountain legs of the peloton, and the climber would win the overall.

Two such climbers are Canyon-SRAM teammate Katarzyna Nyewiadoma, winner of the 2019 stage to Burton Dassett Country Park and runner-up on stage 4, and Elise Chaby, currently wearing the green QOM jersey.

"We have a strong team here, very motivated and it shows in the race. Kasia and I are in a good position in GC right now and Kasia proved her strength today. I am really looking forward to the race tomorrow." Chaby said after the fourth stage, in which both riders joined the lead group for about 80km.

Niewiadoma is in second place overall, 4 seconds behind stage 4 winner Grace Brown (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope), with Chavy in fifth on GC, 17 seconds behind. Niewiadoma is usually considered the stronger climber of the two, but do not underestimate Chavy: her recent 13th place finish on the Lagunas de Neira climb of the Vuelta a Burgos Feminas and the Iturria women's mountain jersey are proof of her climbing ability.

Black Mountain was first visited in 2019 when the final stage to Pembrey Country Park, where Friday's stage begins, passed this climb. Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo), third on stage 4, remembers this first visit well: "In 2019, I have good memories of running away with Lizzie [Degnan] on this stage and her winning the Tour.

Longo Borghini is six seconds behind Brown on GC. She was the team leader on the queen stage and has often done well in stage races, but the long climb may be a bit too much for her to win the overall.

Brown herself is leading the WWT stage race for the second time after winning the first stage of the 2021 Vuelta a Burgos Feminas. The Black Mountains are shorter than the Spanish mountains, and the yellow leader's jersey will provide additional motivation for Brown.

"Of course, I want to be at the top on the last climb," he said. After the fourth stage, Brown said, "I have a little bit more time, so if I can finish with the top climbers, maybe I can keep the jersey."

Aside from Nwiadoma, the biggest threat to Brown will be Ashley Moolman-Pasio. The South African veteran will retire from cycling after the 2022 season, but winning the WWT stage race is one goal she has yet to reach; the 36-year-old lost a 10-second plus time bonus to Brown, Niwiadoma, and Longo Borghini on stage 4, 18 seconds behind the yellow jersey.

Kristen Faulkner of Team BikeExchange-Jayco must also be considered. In her first full season in Europe in 2021, the Alaska native finished sixth in the Norefjell mountain stage and third overall in the Ladies Tour of Norway. She is an attack rider and must close the 46-second gap to Brown.

Finally, the EF Education-TIBCO-SVB duo of Veronica Evers and Krista Dobel-Hickok are also expected to do well. Ewers also joined the lead group on stage 4, but like Faulkner, ultimately lost a 36-second time bonus to Brown. Dobel Hickok finished with the peloton. Both are more than a minute behind Brown and will have to race aggressively if they want to win a stage or the GC.