Stage 4 - 30th July 2026

The Morning After — After the harrowing storm of Stage 3 and getting to the hotel at midnight, I only managed 4 hours of sleep before my 5:30 AM wake-up call. 😴 The morning was a scramble to sort luggage because everything I own was still soaking wet. Luckily, slinging my shoes outside for a few hours did the trick! 👟☀️

The atmosphere at breakfast was heavy. Everyone was distraught and traumatized by what we went through in the Pyrenees yesterday. Usually, these "breaking point" experiences don't happen this early in the Tour, but we dusted ourselves off anyway. I somehow managed to down 6 hot chocolates—I’m burning over 6,000 calories just on the bike, and I need every bit of energy I can get to keep going. ☕️🔋

The Invisible Killer: Heat — Today was a complete 180 from yesterday's hail. The temperature hit 32°C (90°F) with absolutely no shade. ☀️🥵 The Ride Doctor gave us a sobering briefing on dehydration: if we don't catch it early, he literally can't help us and it’s an ambulance call. Keeping a heart rate in the 140s for 10 hours in this sun means your salt levels drop off a cliff. 🧂💧

Stage 4 Climb Breakdown — Per the route details, our elevation gain was spread throughout the day, with the biggest tests coming in the second half. Here are the key climbs we tackled:

Villerouge-Termenès

When: Early in the day.

Description: A short, scenic climb featuring one of the many Cathar castles.

Col de Coudons

When: Second half, after Quillan.

Details: Gentle, tree-lined gradients that helped shield us slightly from the sun.

Col de Montségur

Average gradient: 6.6%.

When: After descending through fir forests into Bélesta,

The Toll of the Tour — Doing 9.5 hours in the saddle today on the back of yesterday's epic is starting to take its toll. I’m beginning to get pins and needles in my hands—something I really didn't expect to happen just four days in. 🖐️⚡️ Physically and mentally, this race is designed to break you down. Everyone looked shattered and sleep-deprived this evening.

The Stats

It’s another 5:30 AM start tomorrow as we head toward Pau. I’m just praying my body finds a way to recover overnight. One day at a time. 🙏🚲