Dauphiné Stage 4: Quinn Simmons Times His Tour de France Form Just Right

Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) got his hands in the air again after surviving a breakaway nail-biter to win stage four at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alps.

With the bunch just a few meters behind, Simmons sprinted ahead of Finn-Fisher Black (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) in the former Critérium du Dauphiné to win for the first time in 2026.

“Behind the Tour de France, this is the biggest stage race of the year,” Simmons said. “It’s been a year since I put my hands in the air. The biggest six weeks of our season is right now, so to have confirmation that the form is there is really nice.”

The victory comes just in time to confirm his form ahead of July’s Tour de France.

Simmons spent the day turning the screws in the 10-rider escape, which was hanging on with just 18 seconds with 5km to go.

The lead group worked well together despite the main pack breathing down their necks in the final hour of racing.

Visma-Lease a Bike put the hammer down for Wout van Aert, and the front group started attacking each other at the red kite with the gap at just 10 seconds.

It was still enough for Simmons to win for the first time since the Tour de Suisse last summer.

“I was a bit scared when they only gave us two minutes, but in the end, it plays into my favor when the break has to ride hard the whole way,” said the U.S. national road champion.

Overnight leader Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost) defended yellow by 12 seconds with no major shakeups in the GC.

Matteo Jorgenson, who won Tuesday’s team time trial with Visma-Lease a Bike, made it safely through the stage to remain fourth overall at 15 seconds back.

Simmons on the move

The 167.4km fourth stage from Le Puy-en-Velay to Montrond-les-Bains featured five moderate climbs in the lumpy profile that was another chance for a breakaway.

The attacks came fast and furious in the opening climb right out of the gate.

Simmons dug deep to bridge across to a group to form what settled into the main break of the day.

“Two days ago I felt I had the legs, but we were told to save our legs for the team time trial,” Simmons said. “Today I was finally unleashed.”

Riding in his stars-and-stripes jersey, Simmons helped keep the breakaway alive over the final climbs. Sam Watson (Netcompany Ineos) crashed out of the break on the final descent.

Simmons had finally been given the green light to race, but the peloton had no intention of handing him an easy victory.

After the break won the opening two stages, teams piled on during the chase on the flats in the closing 35km coming to the line.

The gap never grew more than two minutes and was whittled down to 50 seconds with 25km to go. Cofidis, Alpecin-Deceuninck, and Visma-Lease a Bike drove the chase, with Tudor also piling on.

The break didn’t play games and Simmons had the legs to deliver his eighth career pro win.

If Simmons was looking for a final confirmation ahead of the Tour de France, he delivered one Wednesday.

“I’ve never won a sprint before, so that’s good,” he said. “The Tour is the biggest race of the year, and I think today and yesterday I showed that I deserve to be there.”

Pre-race favorites Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM) and Isaac del Toro (UAE Emirates-XRG) stayed hidden in the pack and saved their matches for this weekend’s fireworks.

The race continues Thursday with the 195.8km fifth stage from Saint-Chamond to Parc des Oiseaux Villars-les-Dombes.

Two fourth-category climbs in the opening 15km should ignite another fight for the breakaway, but the rolling roads of Thursday offer one final chance for opportunists before the race turns upward.

On Friday, the race turns into the Alps, where Seixas, Del Toro, Jorgenson, and the other GC contenders will have nowhere to hide.

Dauphiné stage 4 results