The Paris-Nice explodes: Vingegaard shines in an epic stage where Juan Ayuso abandons due to a crash

The fourth stage of the Paris-Nice 2026 was completely marked by wind, rain, and echelons from the first kilometers. In this scenario of constant wear, Jonas Vingegaard finished solo at the summit finish in Uchon and made a significant impact on the race, both for the stage victory and for the leadership he inherited after the abandonment of Juan Ayuso, who was a victim of a fall during the stage.

Jonas Vingegaard conquers stage 4 after a chaotic day and dons the leader's jersey in Paris-Nice

The stage, spanning 195 kilometers between Bourges and Uchon, began with very complicated weather conditions. The strong crosswinds caused splits in the peloton shortly after the start, creating several groups and leaving some important general classification contenders out of the race. In the first major echelon, a front group formed with about forty riders, including several favorites like Vingegaard, Ayuso, Daniel Martínez, Brandon McNulty, and Oscar Onley.

The pace at the front was extremely high for much of the day. The average speed exceeded 50 km/h in the first segment, and the peloton ended up completely fragmented into several groups. Teams like Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe and UAE Team Emirates contributed to maintaining the tension at the front while other general classification contenders, such as Kévin Vauquelin and Aleksandr Vlasov, found themselves trapped in the back groups.

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The situation became even more chaotic when several crashes affected the leading group. In one of those incidents, Juan Ayuso, who was wearing the yellow jersey, was involved. The Spaniard tried to continue for a few meters but ultimately had to abandon the race due to the consequences of the fall, leaving the general classification completely open.

Crash in the leading group! Among the riders involved, Juan Ayuso tries to get going again but ultimately has to put a foot down. The wearer of the @MaillotjauneLCL abandons the race.

Crash in the leading group! Among the riders involved, Juan Ayuso tries to get going again… pic.twitter.com/LCuHL2FxBN

— Paris-Nice (@ParisNice) March 11, 2026

From that moment on, the scene was dominated by a small group where Daniel Martínez (RedBull) had the support of several teammates, including Tim and Mick van Dijke, while Vingegaard (Visma) had to fend for himself for much of the final stretch.

After a very selective day, the outcome was decided on the final climb to Uchon. The leading group arrived very reduced after a race marked by fatigue, and the gaps quickly grew among the contenders.

In the last kilometer, Vingegaard launched his decisive attack and managed to drop Martínez, who could not respond to the Danish rider's change of pace. The Visma | Lease a Bike rider maintained his lead until the finish line and took a highly valuable victory after more than four hours of racing under extreme conditions.

Martínez crossed the finish line in second place, 41 seconds behind, while Tim van Dijke completed the podium shortly after.

Jonas Vingegaard wins in Uchon!

Jonas Vingegaard wins Stage 4 in Uchon! #ParisNice pic.twitter.com/kvku06hEog

— Paris-Nice (@ParisNice) March 11, 2026

The racing conditions and numerous splits caused huge gaps among the favorites. Some general classification contenders lost several minutes, and the race was completely transformed after this stage.

In addition to the stage victory, Vingegaard became the new leader of the Paris-Nice, taking advantage of Ayuso's abandonment and the time gained over other direct rivals.

Top 10 – Stage 4 of the Paris-Nice 2026 (Bourges – Uchon, 195 km)

1. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) — 4:16:12
2. Daniel Martínez (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) — +41 s
3. Tim van Dijke (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) — +45 s
4. Mick van Dijke (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) — +1:42
5. Georg Steinhauser (EF Education-EasyPost) — +2:54
6. Kévin Vauquelin (INEOS Grenadiers) — +3:38
7. Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) — +4:02
8. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) — +4:20
9. Jensen Plowright (Alpecin-Deceuninck) — +4:55
10. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) — +5:07