Favorites stage 4 AlUla Tour 2025 | Oh oh oh, there we have that grueling plateau
Cycling
The former queen stage of the AlUla Tour may have been overshadowed by Mountain Wikrah, but the Harrat Uwayrid plateau remains a key feature in the race. This 2.5-kilometer climb at a punishing 12% average gradient is bound to shake up the general classification. IDLProCycling.com walks you through everything you need to know!
Course stage 4 AlUla Tour 2025
The fourth stage of the AlUla Tour starts at Maraya, the world’s largest mirror building, located in the heart of the Saudi Arabian desert. From this remarkable starting point, the riders will complete two loops around Hegra, a UNESCO World Heritage site often compared to Petra in Jordan, one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World.
In terms of the race itself, the final hour of this stage will be the most crucial, as for the fourth year in a row, riders will take on the Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid. This brutal 2.9-kilometer climb at a staggering 12.0% (!) average gradient has shaped the AlUla Tour’s general classification in recent years, and 2025 is unlikely to be any different.
After the demanding ascent, nearly ten kilometers remain on the plateau, meaning things could turn tactical. Last year, Simon Yates claimed victory here, following in the footsteps of Ruben Guerreiro (2023) and Maxim Van Gils (2022), who both built their overall triumphs on this very stage.
Times
Start: 1:00 PM local time (5:00 AM EST)
Finish: 4:17 PM local time (8:17 AM EST)
Weather stage 4 AlUla Tour 2025
The first thing to analyze when assessing the weather in Saudi Arabia is, of course, the wind. However, on Friday, there will barely be any, so it is unlikely to play a major role. The temperature is expected to be around 22° Celsius, making for relatively mild racing conditions.
Favorites stage 4 AlUla Tour 2025
Wednesday’s stage to Mountain Wikrah served as the perfect indicator of what to expect on Friday. Based on that performance, Tom Pidcock is the clear favorite for stage four. The Q36.5 rider dominated on Mountain Wikrah, distancing everyone and signaling his intent for overall victory in AlUla. That said, it's not over until we reach the finish line, of course.
The closest challenger to Pidcock was Rainer Kepplinger (Bahrain Victorious), followed closely by Alan Hatherly and Eddie Dunbar (Jayco AlUla), who were also in the mix. Given that this is their sponsor’s home race, they could pose the biggest threat to Pidcock. Hatherly, as a fellow mountain biker, and Dunbar, a pure climber with stage wins in the Vuelta, both have the qualities required to make the Brit sweat.
Read more below the video!
Mountain Wikrah was a unique scenario, due to a neutralized section followed by five kilometers of all-out racing. Riders such as Frank van den Broek (Picnic PostNL), Rafal Majka (UAE-Emirates XRG), Stefan de Bod (Terenggaru), Yannis Voisard (Tudor), and Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X) generally perform better in longer, more grueling stages, like the one on Friday.
Norwegian team Uno-X has several cards to play, with Adne Holter, Jonas Abrahamsen, and Johannes Kulset providing tactical options. Abrahamsen is especially known for breakaways — perhaps he could make a move on Friday? A potential ally might be Mikkel Bjerg (UAE-Emirates XRG) if the situation calls for it.
Favorites stage 4 AlUla Tour 2025, according to IDLProCycling.com
Top favorite: Tom Pidcock (Q36.5)
Outsiders: Alan Hatherly, Eddie Dunbar (Jayco AlUla) and Rainer Kepplinger (Bahrain Victorious)
Long shots: Frank van den Broek (Picnic PostNL), Rafal Majka (UAE-Emirates XRG), Stefan de Bod (Terenggaru), Yannis Voisard (Tudor), Fredrik Dversnes and Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X)
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Latest Comments
- Remco is still very young. And injuries can absolutely keep you from overdoing it and getting worse. The recent Remco accident didn't keep him from being able to ride a recumbent inside. Wout's knee is a different story thoughVeganpotter23-01-2025
- Van der Poel style is winning by a half a lap and leading the race from the end of the second lap.
Barnes127420-01-2025 - If she thinks talent alone will put her there she will not see many podium finishes much less a GC finish.....work as a team utilizing tactics to consistently be at the top.Germanrazor10-01-2025
- This was very informative! Luiz Antonio Duarte Ferreiraluizantonioduarteferreira02-01-2025
- Well explained, thanks for the clarity! Daniel DantasDanieldantas20-12-2024
- This is the kind of 'news' that belongs in a cheap tabloid. No matter how boring the offseason gets, nobody wants to read this.
santiagobenites19-12-2024 - I wish we could have seen him try. He'd absolutely get dropped before Pogi overtakes his domestiquesVeganpotter10-12-2024
- Talk is cheap! Next year barring crashes with a healthy team... all well be on track! Some need to talk to make a headline!mootman27-11-2024
- I do not see this event listed on HBO Max Sports Online? Can anyone confirm? Thanks!
MrYuck23-11-2024 - It seemed that he was focusing forward at the time of the crash, after seeing a quick video snippet. But one thing I think he should focus on more intently is breaking a bad habit he has, right now. And that is his constant looking over his shoulders. He does that so much, that I am very sure it is not good for him. Simply watch videos of the greats of CX and you will see very little of that constant looking over their shoulders. That is a behavior that betrays a bit of insecurity on his part. He shouldn't be so concerned, incessantly, about what is over his shoulder. He needn't worry they didn't all disappear. He neds to keep his focus more ahead of himself, and he needs to pay a bit more attention to himself, in a confident manner. It is very frustrating to watch, because it is apparent that he has a lot of potential, and is in much better shape thwan many of his competitors, but the mental game needs to be sharpened more, because that part of strategy plays a huge part in the final results
reemmo022-11-2024