Van Aert wins Tour stage 4 in style and extends overall lead

Defending champion Wout van Aert of Belgium claimed victory on Tuesday’s mountainous fourth stage of the Tour de France and increased his overall lead.

After taking the yellow leader’s jersey for the first time on Saturday, the Belgian rider held it for the Jumbo–Visma team. Aside from winning the green jersey race for best sprinter, he also increased his advantage.

With 10 kilometers (6 miles) to go and a 7.5 percent grade, Van Aert went clear of the pack on Cote du Cap Blanc-900-meter Nez’s hill.

An early attack would be the best way for him to avoid a mass sprint at the finish.

The risk of losing was too great for me, so I bowed out. We were clearly experimenting with the squad, as he put it. “I pushed myself to the limit to see what happened.” “I gave it my all.”

Three-time cyclocross world champion and one-day classics specialist, Van Aert, 27, is widely regarded as one of the greatest all-around riders in the world.

While sitting up on his bike, the Jumbo-Visma rider fluttered his hands like a bird’s wings. Christophe Laporte of Jumbo-Visma finished third in a sprint finish, eight seconds ahead of his countryman Jasper Philipsen of the Alpecin–Fenix team.