Tour de France LIVE stage four: Fernando Gaviria wins sprint photo finish from Peter Sagan and Andre Greipel

The peloton returns to the road as one for a 195km route from La Baule to Sarzeau, via a jaunt into the heart of Brittany, setup for the sprinters

How Chris Froome won his fourth Tour de France

Stage four offers another chance for sprinters like Mark Cavendish, Fernando Gaviria and Peter Sagan to shine while the general classification contenders like Chris Froome, Richie Porte and the rest will just be hoping to keep out of harm's way following the choas of the opening two stages.

After yesterday's stage-three team time trial, Greg van Avermaet is the man in the yellow jersey, the BMC rider who will aim to defend that status for as long as possible through the coming days, but will face plenty of challenges no doubt, not least from Team Sky and Geraint Thomas, their foremost rider in the overall standings.

Although today's 195km route from La Baule to Sarzeau via a jaunt into the heart of picturesque Brittany is a relatively flat one, the stage finishes on a slight uphill drag for around 2km which could take out the short-burst sprinters and will favour the riders who can sustain power for longer, like Michael Matthews and perhaps Marcel Kittel. Follow all the action with our live blog below:

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Stage four profile

Stage four profile (letour.com)

Route map

Stage four route map (letour.com)

Prediction

There are all sort of riders who could win this type of stage, but the uphill drag to the finish makes us think Michael Matthews can pull off something special.

Odds

Fernando Gaviria 7/4
Dylan Groenewegen 4/1
Marcel Kittel 4/1 
Peter Sagan 11/2
Arnaud Demare 15/2

How to watch on TV

Stage four will be shown live on ITV4 from 12pm, and on Eurosport from 11.45am.

Key Points

• Stage three report: BMC edge out Team Sky in TTT
• Stage four preview: A route for the sprinters to shine
• Stage-by-stage guide to the 2018 Tour de France
• Team-by-team guide to all 176 riders on the start list

[10 July 2018 11:25 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Hello! Welcome to The Independent's live coverage of stage four of the Tour de France, and after a steady day of time trialling in Cholet, the peloton returns for a 195km jaunt through Brittany. This is a day to invite a breakaway but the sprinters will be determined to reel it in and give themselves another chance of a stage win. Here's all you need to know ahead of the stage:

[10 July 2018 12:04 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

The man in yellow today is Greg van Avermaet, catchily known as GvA, and the Belgian rider will wear the maillot jeune for the fourth time after a stint in 2016. He speaks: "You don’t do that much in your career [wear yellow]. I’m not going to wear the yellow jersey 60 days in my life, so I have to enjoy every moment. I have to take it day by day, [keeping yellow] will give me my motivation."

[10 July 2018 12:21 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

The peloton are out in the blazing sunshine on the north-west coast of France, 2.5km from the official start point of this stage four jaunt into Brittany and back out to the coastline.

[10 July 2018 12:30 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Stage four is go!

Christian Prudhomme pokes his head out of the sunroof, waves his giant flag and the racing begins... and immediately there's an early breakaway.

[10 July 2018 12:41 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

The early breakaway quartet have been allowed to scuttle into the distance with more than two minutes between them and the peloton already. It's fair to say the main bunch aren't too bothered by this four out in front: Jerome Cousin of Direct Energy, Dimitri Claeys and Anthony Perez of Cofidis, and Guillaume van Keirsbulck of Wanty. 

[10 July 2018 12:51 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Incidentally, on the back of race director Christian Prudhomme's mention earlier, this seems like an apt moment to point you in the direction of our Q&A with the man himself, should you be interested in such a thing:

[10 July 2018 13:09 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

This stage finishes in the very town of which UCI chief David Lappartient is mayor – Sarzeau – something Sir Dave Brailsford used as an thinly veiled insult earlier this week. Here is Lappartient, talking before today's start with an interesting comment on the media and a creative take on the number of countries that actually exist:

"I am here as the president of the UCI but I will be wearing both hats when I get to the village and I’m very proud. The Tour is the most important race in the calendar, broadcast to over 200 countries in the world, it’s an amazing race. It’s been tricky obviously, the press have made it quick tricky, we are waiting to see who is the next winner. You need really know what’s going to happen and we’re really looking forward to everyone getting across the finish line."

[10 July 2018 13:24 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

I would highly recommend following @letourdata if you don't already, for some great snippets and graphics.

[10 July 2018 13:34 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

BMC are leading the peloton train and that is the benefit of not being in yellow which Sir Dave Brailsford talked of yesterday; Team Sky can be sit back and react rather than having to use up energy dictating the pack. The gap to the breakaway has stabilised at around 7min 45sec. A reminder of the quartet out in front: Jerome Cousin of Direct Energy, Dimitri Claeys and Anthony Perez of Cofidis, and Guillame van Keirsbulck of Wanty. 

[10 July 2018 13:53 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

130km to go 

The leading quartet have had their lead eaten into a little over the past 10km or so, squeezing down to within seven minutes. BMC are still on the nose of the peloton – it will be interesting to see if they chase a stage victory here or just look to preserve ownership of the yellow jersey. History tells us they will probably attempt both, just for the fun of it.