Tirreno-Adriatico 2025 Stage 4

March 13, 2025 The 190KM route from Norcia to Trasacco is difficult but heavily front loaded. There is 2,600M of elevation gain but nearly all of it comes in the first 125KM. The stage starts with 14KM uphill, climbing the Forca Della Civita. The riders then take on another long climb, the 12.4KM Valico La Crocetta, which summits 104KM from the finish. The last 50KM are flat as they make their way around a finish circuit through Trasacco. The flat run could be long enough for any dropped riders to come back for a bunch sprint. There were heavy clouds surrounding the start and wet roads but it was not raining when the flag flag dropped at KM0. The break had not established over Forca Della Civita but riders did come together at the front, and with 95KM to go, Jonas Rutsch of Intermarché-Wanty, Mirco Maestri of Polti-VisitMalta, Gijs Leemreize of Picnic-PostNL, Jorge Arcas of Movistar, and William Blume Levy of Uno-X Mobility were up the road and had 4 minutes 20 seconds on the peloton. UAE-XRG were driving the bunch and had it strung out on the Valico La Crocetta. A lot of the main sprinters were dropped early and were minutes behind at the top. The break went over the top of Valico La Crocetta with a gap of 3 minute 10 seconds but the descent did not start right away. They stayed up on a high plateau and with wind pushing at 25KM/HR, Bahrain Victorious and Ineos decided to put the race in the gutter. Around 35 riders made the front split but when they got off the plateau, groups started to come together. At the bottom with 48KM to go, the main bunch were 1 minute behind the leaders with a chase group containing GC favorites Derek Gee of Israel-Premier Tech and Eddie Dunbar of Jayco AlUla as well as potential stage winner Paul Magnier of Soudal Quickstep at 30 seconds behind the peloton. The finishing circuit is positioned in a large bowl surrounded by mountains which used to be a large lake before it was drained. As a result, the Piana Del Fucina is completely flat and quite windy. Ineos and UAE-XRG worked together and split the peloton of around 50 riders with 43KM to go. Only six riders made the front including Laurens De Plus and Filippo Ganna of Ineos, Isaac del Toro, Felix Großschartner, and Juan Ayuso of UAE-XRG, and Quentin Pacher of Groupama-FDJ. They pressed on for a few kilometers until 36KM to go when they were caught again by the main GC group of 50 riders. The break went through the finish line for 2 laps and 30KM to go. Their lead was 40 seconds to the bunch and 1 minute 25 seconds to the second chase group containing Gee and Dunbar. The second chase group finally caught the main favorites group the last time through the finish line with 15KM to go. The break was down to four riders after Rutsch crashed on a wet corner. With 5KM to go, Ben Healy of EF-Education EasyPost attacked on a short but steep hill entering Trasacco. Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin-Deceuninck followed Healy and went right passed him. Van der Poel was reeled back in but the group was stretched out, giving Healy another opportunity to attack. Healy caught Maestri and Blume Levy, the last of the break, and drove the group through 1KM to go. They had about 10 seconds but Soudal Quickstep got organized and made the catch just inside 500M from the line. It was a slow motion sprint but out of the gloom came the yellow jersey of Olav Kooij of Visma-Lease a Bike who popped out with 100M to go to take the victory. Rick Pluimers of Tudor Pro Cycling managed second on the day with van der Poel taking third.