The stage took place in very challenging weather. A huge breakaway of 25 riders got away after 45 km but in the final 75km it was more or less three riders. Rein Taaramäe, Quinten Hermans (both Intermarché), and Chris Juul-Jensen (BikeExchange) rode hard but were caught by Dombrowski and De Marchi in the closing 4km. Then the American made his move to claim his maiden Grand Tour stage victory and De Marchi took the lead.
“I started thinking about taking the maglia rosa two days ago but I didn’t tell anybody,“ the 34-year-old Italian said. “Today it was about finding the right move. I knew it would be tricky at the start. A bit of luck helped and here we are. I’m lost for words. The maglia rosa is the childhood dream of every cyclist, especially for an Italian.”
Some of the favourites managed to make a move in the end as well. Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo) went first, followed by Mikel Landa (Bahrain-Victorious), Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers), Hugh Carthy (EF-Nippo), and Aleksandr Vlasov (Astana-Premier Tech). They finished 11 seconds ahead of Simon Yates (BikeExchange), Dan Martin (Israel Start-Up Nation), and Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck-Quick-Step). João Almeida (Deceuninck – Quick-Step) on the other hand lost around six minutes and his GC hopes are probably over.
Stage 4 results
- Joe Dombrowski (UAE Team Emirates) – 4:58:38
- Alessandro De Marchi (Israel Start-Up Nation) + 13 seconds
- Filippo Fiorelli (Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè) + 27s
- Louis Vervaeke (Alpecin-Fenix) + 29s
- Jan Tratnik (Bahrain Victorious)
- Attila Valter (Groupama-FDJ) + 44s
- Nicolas Edet (Cofidis) + 49s
- Nelson Oliveira (Movistar) + 57s
- Rein Taaramäe (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) + 1:33
- Chris Juul-Jensen (Team BikeExchange) + 1:36
General classification
- Alessandro De Marchi (Israel Start-Up Nation) – 13:50:44
- Joe Dombrowski (UAE Team Emirates) + 22s
- Louis Vervaeke (Alpecin-Fenix) + 42s
- Nelson Oliveira (Movistar Team) + 48s
- Attila Valter (Groupama-FDJ) + 1:00
- Nicolas Edet (Cofidis) + 1:15
- Aleksandr Vlasov (Astana-Premier Tech) + 1:24
- Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck – Quick-Step) + 1:28
- Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-Nippo) + 1:37
- Hugh Carthy (Ineos Grenadiers) + 1:39
