Image: from FRANCE 24 English X @France24_en
By Open Chronicle
Mads Pedersen claimed victory in Stage 4 of the 2026 Tour de France, producing a powerful sprint to cap an outstanding day for Lidl,Trek, while Norway’s Torstein Træen seized the coveted yellow jersey after a successful breakaway that reshaped the general classification.
The 181.9 kilometre stage from Carcassonne to Foix marked the first entirely French stage of this year’s race and delivered one of the biggest tactical shake ups of the opening week.
A Breakaway That Changed the Race
After several days dominated by the general classification contenders, Stage 4 unfolded very differently. An enormous breakaway established itself early and gradually built an advantage that the peloton, led by UAE Team Emirates,XRG, never attempted to erase completely.
Among the leading riders were Mads Pedersen, Quinn Simmons, Mathias Vacek and Torstein Træen, with Lidl,Trek placing multiple riders in the decisive move while Uno,X Mobility positioned its Norwegian climber perfectly for a general classification coup.
Absolute perfection 🤩
Lidl-Trek executed the perfect race, with flawless teamwork from Quinn Simmons and Mathias Vacek setting up Mads Pedersen for victory on Stage 4 of the Tour de France 🫡 pic.twitter.com/ZuWAT0TvIO
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) July 7, 2026
Lidl,Trek Executes a Perfect Strategy
Lidl,Trek controlled the front group with impressive teamwork throughout the day.
As the race approached Foix, the Danish former world champion proved to be the strongest finisher, launching an unstoppable sprint to secure his third career Tour de France stage victory.
His teammate Quinn Simmons completed an exceptional day for the American squad by finishing second, while Spain’s Raúl García Pierna rounded out the podium.
Pedersen’s victory also propelled him into the lead of the points classification, earning him the green jersey for the first time in his Tour de France career.
Træen Becomes the Surprise Race Leader
While Pedersen celebrated the stage victory, the day’s biggest story belonged to Torstein Træen.
The Uno,X Mobility rider finished safely within the breakaway and gained enough time over the main favourites to take the overall lead from Tadej Pogačar.
Træen became only the third Norwegian in history to wear the Tour de France yellow jersey, providing a landmark moment for both himself and his team.
The general classification contenders, including Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, deliberately allowed the breakaway to contest the stage, conceding nearly thirteen minutes while preserving energy for the demanding mountain stages still to come.
Stage 4 Results
| Position | Rider | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mads Pedersen | Lidl,Trek |
| 2 | Quinn Simmons | Lidl,Trek |
| 3 | Raúl García Pierna | Movistar Team |
| 4 | Marco Frigo | NSN Cycling Team |
| 5 | Ramses Debruyne | Alpecin,Premier Tech |
| 6 | Kévin Vauquelin | Netcompany INEOS |
| 7 | Sean Quinn | EF Education,EasyPost |
| 8 | Torstein Træen | Uno,X Mobility |
| 9 | Pablo Castrillo | Movistar Team |
| 10 | Mathias Vacek | Lidl,Trek |
General Classification After Stage 4
| Position | Rider | Team | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Torstein Træen | Uno,X Mobility | 13:02:46 |
| 2 | Sean Quinn | EF Education,EasyPost | +0:28 |
| 3 | Mathias Vacek | Lidl,Trek | +3:50 |
| 4 | Tadej Pogačar | UAE Team Emirates,XRG | +7:53 |
| 5 | Jonas Vingegaard | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | +7:53 |
Although Træen emerged as the race leader, the battle for the overall title remained far from settled. With the Pyrenees and Alpine stages still to come, Pogačar and Vingegaard were widely expected to reclaim significant time in the mountains, setting up an intriguing second phase of the 2026 Tour de France.