Results Tirreno-Adriatico 2026 stage 4 | Mathieu van der Poel wins explosive GC battle after Tortoreto climb
Cycling
Mathieu van der Poel powered to victory on Stage 4 of Tirreno-Adriatico after surviving a brutal selection on the steep slopes of the Tortoreto climb before outsprinting a reduced group of favourites in the final kilometres.
The Alpecin-Premier Tech rider delivered a perfectly timed sprint from the elite front group, confirming his outstanding form during a chaotic finale shaped by aggressive racing from Team Visma | Lease a Bike and race leader Isaac del Toro.
Breakaway animates rain-soaked stage
Earlier in the day a large twelve-rider breakaway had animated the 207-kilometre stage from Tagliacozzo.
Riders including Tibor Del Grosso, Ivan Garcia Cortina, Liam Slock, Laurenz Rex, Dries De Bondt and Jonas Abrahamsen built a lead of more than three minutes while UAE Team Emirates - XRG controlled the peloton behind in defence of Isaac del Toro’s blue leader’s jersey.
The escape gradually fractured during the rolling second half of the stage before the peloton caught the final survivor, Jakub Otruba, at the foot of the decisive Tortoreto climb.
Visma detonates the race
Team Visma | Lease a Bike then lit the fuse of the finale. Matteo Jorgenson took control of the peloton after teammate Timo Kielich swung off the front, setting a relentless pace that rapidly reduced the field.
Under the American’s pressure, the peloton shrank to around twenty riders, with Van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Filippo Ganna, Primoz Roglic and Ben Healy all remaining near the front.
The brutal tempo immediately distanced several prominent names, including Julian Alaphilippe, Richard Carapaz and Magnus Sheffield.
Del Toro attacks on final climb
Race leader Del Toro then launched a fierce acceleration on the steepest section of the Tortoreto climb. Van der Poel responded instantly, while Van Aert also followed as the front group was reduced to the strongest contenders.
Attacks continued after the summit as riders attempted to break the stalemate. Giulio Pellizzari tried to surprise the group on the descent before Jorgenson launched a move of his own, but Del Toro repeatedly shut down the attempts.
Andrea Vendrame and Jan Christen later managed to fight their way back to the front group, ensuring the stage would be decided by a select group of favourites.
Van der Poel finishes the job
The tactical battle continued into the final kilometre. Jan Christen launched the first attack before Filippo Ganna accelerated shortly afterwards, but neither move was able to break the group apart.
Van Aert briefly increased the pace as the riders prepared for the sprint before Van der Poel launched his decisive effort inside the final few hundred metres. The Dutchman surged clear to take the stage victory ahead of the elite group of contenders after one of the most aggressive finales of the race so far.
The result confirms Van der Poel’s strong early-season form while Isaac del Toro remains well-positioned to defend the race lead heading into the next stages of Tirreno-Adriatico.
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Carlos Silva is a writer for CyclingUpToDate.com, where he contributes race reports, interviews, analysis pieces, and live coverage of the international cycling calendar. Holding a degree in Sports from the Jean Piaget Institute, he combines academic knowledge of performance, training, and competition with hands-on journalism experience in professional cycling.
Throughout his career, Carlos has conducted interviews with leading figures in the sport, including Alberto Contador, Joaquim Rodríguez, Óscar Pereiro, João Almeida, Isaac del Toro, Derek Gee, John Degenkolb and Geraint Thomas. These conversations reflect direct engagement with Grand Tour winners, Classics specialists, and emerging talents.
He has provided on-site coverage at major events ranging from the Vuelta a España to the Tour de France, alongside stage races such as Vuelta a Andalucía, Volta ao Algarve, Volta a Portugal and O Gran Camiño. Covering the mythical climbs of the Giro d'Italia remains one of his professional ambitions.
Carlos is responsible for liveblog coverage of all major WorldTour races and beyond, including the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España. His reporting integrates verified data from ProCyclingStats to ensure statistical accuracy, contextual depth, and analytical precision.
A lifelong cycling enthusiast, he approaches storytelling across written, photographic, and video formats with a focus on credibility, tactical insight, and informed race interpretation.
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