For the first arrival in the mountains, the fourth stage of Paris-Nice between Chalon-sur-Saône and Mont Brouilly saw a fourth different winner emerge, in the person of Santiago Buitrago.
The 24-year-old Colombian achieved the fifth success of his career, the first on the Course du Soleil.
Leader for one stage, Brandon McNulty gives up his yellow jersey in favor of the Australian, Luke Plapp, second in the stage 10 seconds behind the Colombian.
The American from UAE Team Emirates even falls to the last place on the provisional podium, just behind the winner of the day, and 27 seconds behind the new leader.
🗣️🇦🇺 @LucasPlapp:
"It wasn't planned, but it's a huge bonus. I tried to handle the last climb like a time trial, I knew I was ahead of him (Buitrago) after yesterday, so I just adopted the best pace… pic.twitter.com/FFtd6hoQmw
— Maillot Jaune LCL (@MaillotjauneLCL) March 6, 2024
On the French side, bad operation for David Gaudu, victim of a fall, who crossed the line more than six minutes behind Buitrago.
Among the favorites, the Belgian Remco Evenepoel is back in fifth position in the general classification, thirty seconds behind the leader.
Thursday, the cyclists will cycle 193.5 kilometers between Saint-Sauveur-de-Montagut (Ardèche) and Sisteron (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence), while waiting to know the fate of the seventh and penultimate stage, Saturday, threatened by snow.
Ranking of the 4th stage:
1. Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious), 04h25′52′’
2. Luke Plapp (Team Jayco AlUla) at 10″
3. Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) at 37′’
4. Remco Evenepoel (BEL/SOQ) mt
5. Egan Bernal (COL/IGD) at 39″
6. Felix Gall (AUT/ACT) mt
7. Primoz Roglic (SLO/BOH) mt
8. Matteo Jorgenson (USA/TJV) mt
9. Harold Tejada (COL/AST) at 43″
10. Brandon McNulty (USA/UAD) at 46″
…
15. Aurélien Paret-Peintre (FRA/ACT) at 50′’
35. David Gaudu (FRA/GFC) at 6′06′’
General classification :
1. Luke Plapp (Team Jayco AlUla), 1:15:04 p.m.
2. Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) at 13″
3. Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) at 27″
4. João Almeida (POR/UAD) at 29′’
5. Remco Evenepoel (BEL/SOQ) at 30′’
6. Egan Bernal (COL/IGD) at 40″
…
15. Primoz Roglic (SLO/BOH) at 1′10″.
16. Aurélien Paret-Peintre (FRA/ACT) mt
…
30. David Gaudu (FRA/GFC) at 6′48′’