Traeen's Yellow Jersey Ascent
Mads Pedersen Sprints to Stage 4 Victory; Torstein Traeen Seizes Tour de France Yellow.
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Key Points
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Sean Quinn finished seventh on Stage 4 and moved into second in the overall standings, 28 seconds behind the race leader.
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A large break of about 34 riders formed in extreme heat (nearly 40C), and the peloton did not chase, allowing Lidl-Trek to position Pedersen for the sprint finish.
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Torstein Traeen entered the yellow jersey after finishing eighth, and his stage performance comes with a backdrop of his cancer history, having been diagnosed in 2022 after a routine anti-doping test.
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Stage 4 featured roughly 2,700 meters of elevation gain across four categorized climbs, finishing with a descent into Foix that helped shape the sprint finish.
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Pedersen credited the victory to a 'masterpiece in teamwork,' praising Lidl-Trek teammates Quinn Simmons and Mathias Vacek for their roles in setting up the win.
Mads Pedersen sprinted to victory on Stage 4 of the Tour de France, winning the 181.9-kilometer ride from Carcassonne to Foix in blistering heat. Qatar Tribune reports it is Pedersen's third career Tour stage win and his first since the 2024 Vuelta a España.
Torstein Traeen seized the yellow jersey by finishing eighth, while the main peloton rolled in roughly 13 minutes behind. Fresno Bee reports that Traeen becomes only the third Norwegian ever to wear cycling's most famous jersey.
Lidl-Trek's Masterplan Sets Up Pedersen's Sprint
A breakaway of about 34 riders formed early in searing heat — nearly 40 degrees Celsius. The peloton never chased, giving the break a free run to Foix. Lidl-Trek used that freedom to control the finish.
Quinn Simmons finished second and Mathias Vacek played a key role in the lead-up. Pedersen called it a "masterpiece in teamwork," according to Lidl-Trek's official team site. Raul Garcia Pierna rounded out the podium in third.
Traeen Takes Yellow After Peloton Trails Far Behind
Traeen finished eighth on the stage, but that was enough. The main peloton — including defending champion Tadej Pogacar — came in about 13 minutes later. That gap handed Traeen the overall lead by a wide margin.
Simmons moved into second place overall, 28 seconds behind Traeen. Pogacar dropped down the general classification order. Fresno Bee noted the standings shifted dramatically after the peloton's long day in the heat.
Cancer Diagnosis in 2022 Adds Weight to Traeen's Yellow Jersey
Traeen's story goes beyond cycling. In 2022, a routine anti-doping test led to a testicular cancer diagnosis. He fought back to compete at the highest level of the sport.
Now he wears the yellow jersey at the Tour de France. Qatar Tribune reported on the emotional backdrop to his rise to the top of the overall standings. It is a rare and powerful moment in the race's history.
Four Climbs and Scorching Heat Shape a Brutal Stage
Stage 4 was no easy ride. The route included four categorized climbs and roughly 2,700 meters of total elevation gain. Temperatures pushed close to 40 degrees Celsius across the day.
The stage finished with a descent into Foix, which helped shape the sprint. Code Sports noted the thrilling finish as Pedersen timed his effort perfectly off the descent to take the win.
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