“It was a planned action,” Nathan Van Hooydonck described on the team’s website. “We study the Tour route every year down to the last detail. We knew we could do something today.”
The Belgian accelerated on the climb, with his compatriots Tiesj Benoot and Van Aert in his wheel. After Van Hooydonck and Benoot’s hard work, it was Van Aert’s turn to finish the job.
“The sports directors told us over the radio that our leaders were between their main competitors”, Van Aert refers to his teammates Primož Roglič’s and Jonas Vingegaard’s position. “That was a perfect opportunity for me to go for the stage win. This stage was important for the battle for the green because it was perhaps too difficult for the real sprinters while fifty points were to be earned. I had to go over the limit and it was a fight for ten kilometres but the result was great.
“The yellow jersey gives me wings. This is certainly one of my career’s most stunning victories. Winning in the yellow jersey is very special. Fortunately, I can start in this beautiful jersey again tomorrow. We did some impressive things as a team today. This was a perfect day for our team.”
It was the sixth win for van Aert this season and the 27th for Jumbo Visma this year. Is it a sign of more to come?
Stage 4 results
- Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) – 4:01:36
- Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) + 8 seconds
- Christopher Laporte (Jumbo-Visma)
- Alexander Kristoff (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux)
- Peter Sagan (TotalEnergies)
General classification after stage 4
- Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) – 13:02:43
- Yves Lampaert (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) + 25 s
- Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) + 32 s
- Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) + 36 s
- Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) + 38 s
- Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) + 40 s
- Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) + 41 s
- Adam Yates (Ineos Grenadiers) + 48 s
- Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) + 48 s
- Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) + 49 s
