Results Volta a Comunitat Valenciana Stage 4 | Remco Evenepoel puts time into Joao Almeida and seizes GC control with decisive solo on queen stage

The general classification at the Volta a Comunitat Valenciana was finally torn open on Stage 4, as Remco Evenepoel delivered a commanding solo victory on the race’s queen stage to move decisively into the driver’s seat for overall victory.

After three days of tightly compressed standings and limited time gaps, the combination of relentless climbing and a brutally selective finale around Calpe produced the first true separation among the favourites. Evenepoel did not wait for the finish to assert himself. He attacked with just under 13 kilometres remaining on the slopes of Cumbre del Sol and was never seen again.

The stage began at a ferocious pace, with eight riders quickly establishing a sizeable breakaway on the opening climbs. Steff Cras and Julien Bernard were the strongest climbers in the group and repeatedly pressed on over the Coll de Rates and Alto del Miserat, but the peloton never allowed the gap to grow beyond a manageable margin.

Red Bull controlled calmly for most of the day, while UAE Team Emirates - XRG kept several riders near the front in anticipation of the decisive climbs. The sustained pressure gradually reduced the breakaway, and by the time the race reached the final 40 kilometres, only a handful of attackers remained ahead, with their advantage steadily shrinking.

Everything changed on the steep opening ramps of Cumbre del Sol. After a hard lead-out from Giulio Pellizzari, Evenepoel accelerated smoothly but decisively, immediately stretching the group of favourites. Antonio Tiberi was the only rider able to follow initially, while João Almeida, Brandon McNulty and Aleksandr Vlasov were forced to settle into a chase behind.

Evenepoel continued to increase the pressure, riding clear of Tiberi before the summit and collecting the full bonus seconds. From there, the Belgian committed fully to the solo effort, powering over gradients touching 20 per cent and carrying his momentum into the descent.

Behind him, the chase never truly stabilised. McNulty repeatedly bridged back into the group in an effort to assist Almeida, but the cooperation lacked cohesion, and the gap hovered around 20 seconds without any real sign of closing.

Even as the road flattened briefly and the final kilometres rose gently toward the finish, Evenepoel showed no sign of easing. He rode all the way through the final kilometre, conscious of the importance of every second in the general classification, and crossed the line alone to seal a dominant stage victory.

The chasing group arrived fragmented and beaten, conceding valuable time that reshaped the overall standings in one decisive blow.

The result marked the first major shake-up of the race, with Evenepoel transforming a narrow deficit into a clear advantage ahead of the final day. What had been a tightly packed leaderboard was suddenly stretched, with time gaps that now reflect the hierarchy on the road.

Stage 4 delivered exactly what the Volta a Comunitat Valenciana had been waiting for. A true test, a decisive move, and a performance that placed Evenepoel firmly in control of the race heading into the finale.