Torstein Traeen in yellow after breakaway goes the distance as Mads Pedersen wins Stage 4 with Lidl-Trek masterclass in the Tour de France 2026

Tour de France
Stage 4 | Semi mountain | Men | 07.07.2026
Finished
CarcassonneFoix
1
M. Pedersen
Denmark
DEN
2
Q. Simmons
United States
USA
3
R. García
Spain
ESP
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18:15
Article
18:15
Article
LIDL-TREK MASTERCLASS SEES PEDERSEN WIN STAGE 4 AS TRAEEN TAKES YELLOW
The Tour de France was turned on its head during a sweltering Stage 4 through the foothills of the Pyrenees as Norway’s Torstein Traeen wrested the yellow jersey from the shoulders of Tadej Pogacar and Denmark’s Mads Pedersen soared into green after his first win of the season.
A Lidl-Trek one-two saw Pedersen power to his first Tour stage win in three years on the uphill ramp into Foix ahead of team-mate Quinn Simmons as the day’s breakaway went the distance despite 40-degree Celsius temperatures taking its toll on the riders during the 182km stage from Carcassonne.
Also in the 10-man move that made it to the finish, Norway’s Traeen (Uno-X Mobility) took over the race lead from Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) after the four-time champion came home in the peloton a whopping 13 minutes down on the leaders.
Traeen now leads the American Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost) – also part of the initial 34-man breakaway – by 28 seconds at the top of the overall standings, with Pogacar slipping to fourth place almost eight minutes in arrears and tied for time with his Danish rival, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike).
Just 10 months after he enjoyed a four-day stint in the leader’s red jersey at the Vuelta a Espana, 30-year-old Traeen now becomes the first Uno-X rider to don the fabled maillot jaune – capping a remarkable comeback for a climbing talent who, in 2022, needed treatment for testicular cancer.
But it was Pedersen and his Lidl-Trek team who put in the performance of the day after both Simmons and the Danish powerhouse were part of the day’s breakaway alongside Czech team-mate Mathias Vacek.
picture

Highlights: Pedersen wins Stage 4 as Pogacar surrenders yellow jersey

Video credit: TNT Sports

For the first half of the stage, as the riders edged past a succession of ruined Cathar castles perched precariously on jagged ridges overlooking the parched valley roads of the Ariege, UAE’s Nils Politt rode a hefty tempo on the front to keep the deficit down to around the 3’30” mark for his team-mate Pogacar.
But once Politt knocked it off, the gap grew fast – opening up the intriguing possibility of either Traeen or Quinn taking over the yellow jersey.
Pedersen could only take third place in the intermediate sprint at Quillan behind his fellow sprinters Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling Team) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech). The two former green jerseys then dropped back to the pack while Pedersen – still trailing Pogacar by three points – pressed on with the break in a bid for stage glory.
Vacek covered a move by Jan Tratnik (Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe) on the exposed rolling plateau following the penultimate climb, the duo eventually caught by Alex Kirsch of Cofidis - the rider whose initial move instigated the day's break. This trio rode with a maximum gap of one minute before being reeled in on the final climb.
Here, Quinn’s EF team set a hefty tempo on the Col de Montsegur in a bid to drop Traeen and have a tilt at the yellow jersey – but they only managed to burn off both Georg Steinhauser and Michael Valgren, leaving their man exposed during the 30km run into the finish.
No such fate for Lidl-Trek who, once the breakaway was whittled down to 10 riders going over the summit, still had three riders in the mix. Vacek and Simmons were able to cover the repeated efforts made by Movistar duo Raul Garcia Pierna and Pablo Castrillo to break clear, the American and the Czeck relaying with finesse to snuff out all the threats while keeping their man fresh ahead of the finish.
Pedersen then sealed the deal to win – by a couple of bike lengths – his first stage on the Tour in three years, and a belated first win of a season hampered by injury. The Dane now leads Pogacar by 103pts to 55pts in the green jersey standings ahead of Wednesday’s expected bunch sprint in Pau.
With Traeen now almost eight minutes clear of Pogacar and Vinegaard, the pressure will be on the two riders who have dominated the previous six editions of the Tour to put on a display when the riders return to the Pyrenees for Thursday’s sixth stage to Gavarnie-Gedre, which features the legendary Col du Tourmalet.
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Traeen revels in taking yellow jersey - but admits it will take 'a couple of days to sink in'

Video credit: TNT Sports

Elsewhere in the race on Tuesday, the Frenchman Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost) retained the polka dot jersey despite pressure from Spain’s Alex Molenaar (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), who crested the first two climbs of the day in pole position to move back to within two points of the KOM standings he led after Sunday’s Stage 2.
Lidl-Trek’s Vacek was also rewarded for his selfless riding in the break with the white jersey, which he took over from Stage 3 winner Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG).
Wednesday’s 158km Stage 5 from Lannemezan to Pau features just one Cat 3 climb ahead of what is expected to be the first showdown between the pure sprinters.
17:13
Jersey - Green
17:13
Jersey - Green
PEDERSEN PRAISES TEAM AFTER TAKING GREEN
Mads Pedersen is a Tour stage winner again and back in the famous green jersey after a textbook day for him and his Lidl-Trek team.
Pedersen now leads the green jersey standings on 103pts with Pogacar second on 55pts.
This is what the Dane had to say…
This was, I would say, a masterpiece in teamwork. With Quinn [Simmons] and [Mathias] Vacek there, they did an incredible day and paced me so well on the climb. They made sure we didn’t lose too much time over the top and they were just machines from there to the finish line. It was great teamwork. It would have been lovely to beat Biniam [Girmay] and Jasper [Philipsen] in the intermediate sprint, but at least I picked up 50 points at the finish, so it’s another really good day for us.
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Pedersen lauds 'masterpiece in teamwork' as Lidl-Trek 'machines' deliver Stage 4 success

Video credit: TNT Sports


17:07
Jersey - Yellow
17:07
Jersey - Yellow
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION: NEWLOOK TOP 10 AFTER STAGE 4
It’s all change at the top of the standings after the days big breakaway went the distance on a sweltering day in south-west France.
With the peloton coming home 13 minutes down, Tadej Pogacar's short-lived reign in yellow is over - for now.
1 Torstein Traeen (Uno X-Mobility)
2. Sean Quinn (EF Eductation-EasyPost) +28
3. Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) +3:50
4. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +7:53
5. Jonas Vingagaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) ”
6. Ramses Debruyne (Alpecin-Premier Tech) +8:06
7. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe) +8:16
8. Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +8:17
9. Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) +8:20
10. Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM) +8:41
17:06
Quote
17:06
Quote
HUSHOVD: ”I’M A VERY PROUD MAN TONIGHT”
This is what the Uno X-Mobility team manager Thor Hushovd had to say at the finish after Torstein Traeen took the yellow jersey…
I’m emotional because it was not what we were aiming for this morning and it happened because we race like this when we are not afraid of going in breakaways and we are offensive. It also shows how we have progressed step by step on this team – I am a very proud man today. Last year we won a stage with Jonas Abrahamsen and Torstein wore the red jersey in the Vuelta – and now he has yellow at the Tour. It shows what we can achieve from a team that started from scratch in 2017.

17:05
Podium
17:05
Podium
STAGE 4 RESULT – TOP 10
What a day on the Tour with Lidl-Trek playing a blinder and Uno X ending up with the fabled maillot jaune. Here’s your top 10 as the breakaway went the distance…
1 Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
2. Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) ”
3. Raul Garcia Pierna (Movistar) ”
4. Marco Frigo (NSN Cycling Team) ”
5. Ramses Debruyne (Alpecin-Premier Tech) ”
6. Kevin Vauquelin (Netcompany INEOS) ”
7. Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost) ”
8. Torstein Traeen (Uno-X Mobility) ”
9. Pablo Castrillo (Movistar) ”
10. Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) ”
16:55
16:55
HERE’S HOW LIDL-TREK TOOK A FAMOUS ONE-TWO WITH PEDERSEN AND SIMMONS
They really bossed the breakaway with three riders controlling the narrative before setting up the Dane for the win and the green jersey in Foix.

16:47
Jersey - Yellow
16:47
Jersey - Yellow
ALL SMILES IN THE UNO X-MOBILTY CAMP AS TRAEEN TAKES YELLOW
Manager Thor Hushovd is beaming ear to ear as his man Torstein Traeen crosses the line to secure the yellow jersey – a first in the Scandinavian team’s history.
Traeen enjoyed four days in the Vuelta’s red jersey last summer and he will now have a big gap at the top of the standings beyond Sean Quinn of EF, who also finished in the top 10 and will be around 25 seconds behind him in the standings.
It’s an amazing story when you consider Traeen’s had to battle back from cancer just a few years ago – and it caps a wonderful week of Norwegian sport after their World Cup win over Brazil earlier this week.
16:40
Winner
16:40
Winner
MADS PEDERSEN WINS STAGE 4 IN FOIX
It’s been three years since his last stage win on the Tour de France and three-hundred days since his last win – but the Danish powerhouse is back in business, and in green, on the world’s biggest bike race.
Pedersen won that at a canter, crossing the line ahead of the rest by a few bike lengths.

16:39
Last 01 km
16:39
Last 01 km
FINAL KILOMETRE
Movistar made another attempt on the final short uphill section outside Foix, but Vacek comes back to the front and he will lead Pedersen out now for a likely win.
16:37
16:37
3KM TO GO: FRIGO TESTS THE LEGS
The Italian puts in a short dig but Lidl once again have it covered. With three riders in this move, they really hold all the cards – plus an ace in Pedersen up the sleeve.
Castrillo is the next to have a pop, but again it comes to zilch.
16:35
Last 05 km
16:35
Last 05 km
5KM TO GO: LIDL-TREK IN CONTROL
Vauquelin looks to be preparing himself until he swings off from fourth wheel and drops to the back of the group. If it’s not Pedersen today then whoever wins is leaving it very, very late.
16:32
Attack
16:32
Attack
8KM TO GO: GARCIA PIERNA HAS A POP, THEN CASTRILLO
But it comes to nothing for the Movistar man as Lidl-Trek use their power in numbers to reel in the Spaniard. And now it’s Castrillo’s turn as Movistar try the old one-two. Vacek jumps on his wheel and snuffs out the danger.
16:30
Last 10 km
16:30
Last 10 km
10KM TO GO: VAUQUELIN BIDING HIS TIME
The Frenchman is either entirely spent or playing a canny game because he’s not pulled at all in the last 20km, he’s simply ridden on the back or near the back of this 10-man move, waiting for an opportunity to pounce. Given the heat and his form, though, I imagine he’s on the limit. Hard to see beyond Pedersen for the win – but you never know.
16:25
Information
16:25
Information
13KM TO GO: PEDERSEN PRIMED
There’s a slight ramp to the finish line in Foix which should play into the hands of Mads Pedersen, the fastest finisher of these 10 leaders. If anyone wants to beat him, they’re going to have to try and do something soon – but it’s hard, given the Dane has two Lidl-Trek team-mates with him in Simmons and Vacek.
16:23
Time
16:23
Time
15KM TO GO: UAE BACK ON THE FRONT
And Pogacar’s team-mates are now driving quite a fast pace as they bid to limit their man’s losses to Torstein Traeen, who will take over the yellow jersey today. The deficit is now up to 12 minutes. The leaders, meanwhile, are on one of the uphill drags on the rolling approach to Foix. They have 1’10” on the chasing Matthews group.
16:19
Information
16:19
Information
18KM TO GO: MECHANICAL FOR PIDCOCK
Tom Pidcock has an issue with his chain and needs to drop back to his Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling team car. Damien Howsen waits for his team-mate and they make their way back together. Pidcock dropped out of the top 10 to eleventh yesterday, but he’s still in the GC mix.
16:18
Last 20 km
16:18
Last 20 km
20KM TO GO: TRAEEN AND PEDERSEN ON THE FRONT
They are the riders who look to gain most from today’s stage, with the Norwegian on the brink of yellow and the Dane favourite for the win in Foix, and, with it, the green jersey. Robbie McEwen reckons that Traeen could hold onto the maillot jaune until Stage 15 given his strengths as a rider and the route in store.
The leaders still have 57 seconds on the chasers.
16:09
Time
16:09
Time
27KM TO GO: 10 CLEAR IN BATTLE FOR THE STAGE
Those two groups have come together on the descent and they now ride with a 50-second gap on the next group of chasers.
The leaders: Pedersen, Simmons, Vacek, Quinn, Vauquelin, Debruyne, Traeen, Frigo, Castrillo, Garcia Pierna
The chasers: Denz, Matthews, Zimmermann, Izagirre, Hermans, Delettre, Van den Broek, Molenaar, Nicolau
The peloton is now 11 minutes in arrears so Pogacar will certainly hand over the yellow jersey tonight to Traeen or Quinn.

16:03
Jersey - Climber (Tour de France)
16:03
Jersey - Climber (Tour de France)
35KM TO GO: FRIGO TAKES THE KOM POINTS
Castrillo was caught before the summit and it was Marco Frigo who went over the top to take the 5pts. Also in this leading five-man move are Debruyne, Traeen and Garcia Pierna. They have a small gap over the next five riders: Pedersen, Simmons, Vacek – all of Lidl-Trek – Quinn and Vauquelin, who battled back into contention.
The upshot of that climb is that Alex Baudin will keep the polka dot jersey. But it remains to be seen if they will have the yellow jersey on Quinn’s shoulders, or if it will be Traeen who takes over from Pogacar today – the peloton still trailing by almost 10 minutes now.
15:58
15:58
36KM TO GO: SIMMONS ON THE FRONT
The American champion controls the tempo now after his team-mate Pedersen battled back. Now it’s Pablo Castrillo’s time to try his luck as the leader approach the summit, which is under one kilometre away now.