"We went full gas from the bottom..." - UAE deliver Adam Yates into Gran Camiño lead with superb climbing performance

Adam Yates triumphed on stage four of O Gran Camiño 2026. The Briton seized the overall lead after a solid, astute ride backed by an impeccable UAE Team Emirates XRG, on a brutal route of relentless climbs and technical roads where the selection formed naturally from distance.

“It was a great day… but also very hard,” the Briton summed up after the stage, making it clear that the win was anything but simple despite the final outcome. Teamwork was decisive: “The guys did an incredible job and I managed to finish it off at the end,” he explained, showing that his victory was not just about legs, but also strategy and execution. On demanding terrain, where every detail matters, Yates paced himself and struck at the decisive moment.

The finale unfolded on an explosive closing climb, defined by steep ramps that stripped away tactics and left only pure power. “It was very steep, you couldn’t feel the wind and it was hot,” he noted, describing an all-out effort with minimal room to manage the pace. From the base the speed was flat-out and the decisive selection came by attrition.

In that context, Yates showed his best climbing form, withstanding the pressure from Jorgen Nordhagen and former race leader Alessandro Pinarello to continuously extend his gap and remove enough time to make it to the race lead.

“We went full gas from the bottom… it was a tough climb, but luckily I managed to finish the job,” he added, underlining the severity of a stage that will leave its mark on every rider.

With this victory, Yates moves into the overall lead with one stage to go, a privileged position that guarantees nothing. The rider himself refused to get carried away: “Today I showed I’m in good shape, but tomorrow is another day,” he warned. The final stage, with an uphill finish and a cobbled sector beforehand, adds uncertainty and demands full focus.

The Briton also acknowledged external pressure: “Not so much from the team, but from others; they expect me to perform,” he said, reflecting the weight that comes with being the favourite. Even so, far from hiding, he hinted at ambition: the goal will be to build another solid plan to defend the lead… or even cap the race with another win.

Beyond the result, Yates wanted to highlight the process that brought him here. “I’ve been training very hard and very well; I knew I was in shape,” he explained, while stressing that the key was “to put it all together and finish the job.” That blend — preparation, team and execution — is what has allowed him to land an almost decisive blow in the overall.

The Briton will be racing the Giro d'Italia soon and this results comes as a very promising sign that his preparation for the Corsa Rosa is on point - besides providing motivation ahead of what is a very important goal.