Belgian rider Wout van Aert crossed the Stage 4 line with arms held high, a gesture that looked like he was stretching toward the sky. The Tour de France had seen a moment of pure acceleration and audacious sprinting, with the yellow jersey glistening almost within reach. A few days earlier, he had stood one position away from the coveted win, a reminder that in cycling, every kilometer can redefine a rider’s fate.
“Yellow jersey gives me wings, I felt like I was flying for the last 10 kilometers,” the Jumbo-Visma rider confessed after his latest triumph at the French race, his first time wearing the leader’s jersey after multiple near-misses. This victory marked a watershed moment, signaling that Van Aert could convert consistency into a breakthrough in the overall standings.
What unfolded on the road surprised many, including the team’s own leaders. Two Jumbo-Visma captains had been entrusted with buying time for Slovenian Primoz Roglic and Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard, yet Van Aert’s surge altered the plan entirely and changed the dynamics of the peloton on the fly.
“I didn’t expect to be alone at that moment. Reaching the finish line seemed impossible to me, but when the leaders said it was safe, I gave it all.”
Van Aert stressed that patience and faith in the tactic, built through countless hours of training and team coordination, carried him through a difficult late segment. He had not let the earlier second-place finishes shake his confidence; instead, he used them as a pivot toward a more decisive tactical outcome.
He reflected on the determination that kept him in the hunt, noting that the climb of Cap Blanc-Nez, a challenging third-category ascent, tested every ounce of his endurance and focus. The pace the field set on that climb underscored the Belgian’s readiness to seize a window of opportunity when it appeared.
Van Aert also highlighted the role of his team’s philosophy. Success at this level requires balance, speed, and the nerve to trust a plan even as the race morphs under pressure. He emphasized that a single, well-timed move can reshape the remainder of the stage and the potential for the general classification near Paris.
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Sergio Lopez Egea
“It’s usually said that the third time is the charm, but I had to wait for the fourth. Yet I remained the most patient and faithful member of the squad, convinced that this moment would come.”
“This victory is something extraordinary. I had only a slender lead, but such a margin bears no weight against the entire peloton. I started it, and that felt right. I’m tired of taking risks in the sprint; winning solo felt better,” said the Belgian, who has demonstrated versatility across varied terrains in the Tour.
“This is a scene we’ve anticipated for a long time. The plan was to push when the wind favored a break, and leverage opportunities for Jonas or Primoz whenever possible.” He added that the day demanded flexibility when the game plan faced unexpected twists, such as changes in wind direction or the reaction of rival teams.
As the final climb approached, the pace intensified and the initial strategy evolved. The leaders did not always follow the wheel as anticipated, and a bold push by Van Aert reshaped the dynamics of the field, transforming what could have been a routine sprint into a showcase of strategic racing.
This Is the Tour de France’s Overall Classification After Stage 4
EP
Van Aert earned a free hand to push for victory and to solidify a leadership position that had looked provisional in the earlier stages. The sprint was not just a personal win; it reinforced a broader narrative about consistency and resilience, key ingredients for the coveted yellow jersey as the race moves toward Paris.
Beyond personal glory, the Belgian rider underscored the value of Jumbo-Visma’s team structure, one of the sport’s most powerful squads with substantial resources and a long-standing plan for success in Paris. The team has watched a rival come close on several occasions and now appears poised to convert form into a final flourish in yellow.
The upcoming stages, including the fast pavé episodes that historically shake the race, are viewed as opportunities to test the team’s capacity to destabilize competitors like Tadej Pogacar. The plan remains adaptable, ready to exploit crosswinds, tactics from classics specialists, and the inevitable fatigue that arrives with stage racing. Van Aert acknowledged the delicate balance of risk and reward in such scenarios, signaling a belief that the right move at the right moment can tilt the balance in favor of a rider who has already shown exceptional sprinting and climbing prowess.