The start of stage 4 of the Criterium du Dauphiné is in the city center of Montbrison. The flat 31.9-km course will accelerate the overall contenders.

Heading south from Montbrison, the 11.6 km before the first time check in Mornand-en-Forêt is relatively flat. Then, at 21 km, the riders cross the Loire River as they make sharp turns on their way to the second intermediate checkpoint at Charentes-du-Zoré.

After that, a relatively straight section continues until Mont Verdun, but the remaining 8 km before the finish in Saint-Étienne-le-Moral, home of the Château de La Batie d'Orphe, will be a series of corners.

Briton Matthew Walls (Bora-Hansgrohe) is last and will start the stage 4 race at 13:06 local time.

Jumbo-Visma's Wout Van Aert heads into the stage six seconds ahead of stage 3 winner David Gaudoux (Groupama-FDJ) in the overall leader's jersey. Van Aert will be looking to show what he has learned in this discipline and keep the yellow in the flat time trial.

Victor Lafaye (Cofidis), third on stage 3, is 12 seconds back, and a large group of GC contenders, including Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma), Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers) and Ben O'Connor (AG2R Citroen) are 16 seconds back. There are. Of the racers in 4th through 26th overall, Geoghegan Hart will start at 3:12 p.m. from the start ramp.

The time trial is also an important touchstone before the Tour de France, with two undulating stages to follow.