Tour De France 2026: Pedersen Claims Stage 4 Victory As Træen Seizes Yellow Jersey
The Tour de France 2026 Stage 4 was a scorching 181.9 km journey from Carcassonne to Foix, held on July 7, Tuesday. Battling extreme 40°C heat, the peloton navigated the Pyrenean foothills, tackling four categorized climbs, including the challenging Col de Coudons and Col de Montségur. The stage proved tactical, favoring an explosive breakaway that maintained a significant gap. Danish star Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek masterfully out-sprinted his rivals to claim the victory, capping a brilliant display of teamwork. Meanwhile, the general classification landscape shifted dramatically as Norwegian rider Torstein Traeen secured the yellow jersey, unseating Tadej Pogačar. Framed by the medieval grandeur of Carcassonne and the historic, three-towered château of Foix, the day blended intense athletic endurance with the iconic, picturesque landscapes that define cycling’s greatest race.
France's Alex Baudin wearing the best climber's dotted jersey on the podium after the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Carcassonne and finish in Foix, France. | Photo: AP/Thibault Camus
Denmark's Mads Pedersen celebrates after winning the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Carcassonne and finish in Foix, France. | Photo; AP/Thibault Camus
Mathias Vacek of the Czech Republic, wearing the best young rider's white jersey celebrates on the podium after the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Carcassonne and finish in Foix, France. | Photo: AP/Thibault Camus
Norway's Torstein Traeen wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey celebrates on the podium after the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Carcassonne and finish in Foix, France. | Photo: AP/Thibault Camus
Denmark's Mads Pedersen celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Carcassonne and finish in Foix, France. | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy
Denmark's Mads Pedersen celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Carcassonne and finish in Foix, France. | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy
Denmark's Mads Pedersen, center, sprints to the finish line to win the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Carcassonne and finish in Foix, France. | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey drinks after the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Carcassonne and finish in Foix, France. | Photo: AP/Thibault Camus, Pool
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey crosses the finish line of the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Carcassonne and finish in Foix, France. | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy
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