Fourth time is the charm for Wout van Aert of Jumbo-Visma who collects a convincing win in Stage 4. The Belgian rider took off like a freight train at around 11km to go, blazing a trail none could follow and steaming ahead solo for the win. It’s vindication for the man who has come in second on three stages in a row (Stages 1, 2, and 3).

Not that too much consolation is required – van Aert came into Stage 4 as the current wearer of the yellow jersey. With today’s win he further fortifies his position, though the smart money says that van Aert will look to hand off the GC ambition to his teammates, Roglic (and Vingegaard?), once the big mountain stages arrive.

Van Aert should enjoy another competitive day tomorrow on Stage 5 when the cobbled sections of the Lille-Arenberg Porte du Hainault route do their damage on the peloton.

Elsewhere in the race Magnus Cort Nielsen of EF-Easypost raced out to an early breakaway with A. Perez of Cofidis. The pair worked together to play the points game, Nielsen collecting the King of the Mountains points and Perez taking the sprint points. Like van Aert, Nielsen’s long term hold on the polka dots jersey will face a perhaps insurmountable challenge once the big mountains hit. EF-Easypost is likely committed to try, however, given a season short on marquee wins.