Pogacar Loses Yellow Jersey to Traeen; Pedersen Wins Hot Tour de France Stage

The fourth stage of the Tour de France saw a significant shift in the general classification as Tadej Pogacar relinquished the yellow jersey. The demanding stage, characterized by brutal heat in the south of France, concluded with a victory for Denmark's Mads Pedersen.

Norwegian rider Torstein Traeen now holds the coveted Maillot Jaune, becoming the third Norwegian ever to wear the leader's jersey. Pogacar, who had taken the lead the previous day, did not mount a significant challenge to Traeen's ascent. The main contenders, including Pogacar and his Danish rival Jonas Vingegaard, finished the stage over 13 minutes behind the leaders.

Mads Pedersen secured his third career Tour de France stage win by sprinting from a breakaway group. The former world champion crossed the finish line ahead of American Quinn Simmons and Spain's Raul Garcia. The race conditions were extreme, with temperatures soaring up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), leading the UCI to allow the distribution of entire feed bags in designated zones to ease hydration efforts.

Wednesday's fifth stage is expected to favor sprinters, covering 158.3 kilometers from Lannemezan to Pau. With minimal climbs, the route presents an opportunity for fast finishers, reminiscent of Jasper Philipsen's victory at the same location in 2024.

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Brutal heat in the south of France