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Dani Ostanek

As it happened: Breakaway triumphs as Yates take GC control on Tour de Suisse stage 4

(Image credit: Tour de Suisse)

Tour de Suisse 2024

Tour de Suisse 2024 route

Tour de Suisse 2024 – Analysing the contenders

How to watch the 2024 Tour de Suisse

Result

Hello and welcome to our live coverage from stage 4 of the Tour de Suisse!

It's the first big high mountain test of the race today with the first-category ascent of Gotthardpass.

Alberto Bettiol is in the race lead after three stages of racing, having placed third yesterday as Thibau Nys came out on top in the stage 3 uphill sprint finish.

Bettiol in the race leader's yellow jersey (on the left).

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Here's the stage 3 result...

Tour de Suisse: Thibau Nys continues run of results with stage 3 victory

Lidl-Trek rider out-paces Williams, Bettiol as Italian moves into race lead

(Image credit: Getty Images)

We're around half an hour from the start of stage 4.

164 riders finished yesterday's stage with Nairo Quintana the only abandon due to a crash and broken hand.

No further abandons reported yet this morning.

Nairo Quintana's crash came on stage 2, the same day as Emanuel Buchmann crashed out, breaking his collarbone and hip.

171km to go

We're now underway on stage 4!

Timo Kielich (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was the only non-starter today.

Lots of attacks going at the start here, including the likes of Louis Vervaeke, Jesus Herrada, and Matteo Badilatti.

The riders taking on an early third-category climb at Albipass.

Vervaeke leads the way over the top followed bt Badilatti and Alexey Lutsenko.

Vervaeke now off the front with Soudal-QuickStep teammate Gil Gelders as well as Jayco-AlUla's Felix Engelhardt and Q36.5's Matteo Badilatti.

160km to go

The attackers are brought back by the peloton.

A larger group now attempting to make a move on the flat ground.

It's a flat run all the way to the final two climbs of the day.

Silvan Dillier, Bryan Coquard, Lilian Calmejane, Michael Matthews among those trying to get away.

The attacking group has around 25 seconds on the peloton currently.

150km to go

The gap is growing and this could be our break of the day.

Silvan Dillier (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Torstein Træen (Bahrain Victorious), Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), Michael Matthews (Jayco-AlUla), Roland Thalmann (Tudor), Jan Sommer (Switzerland), Lilian Calmejane, Gerben Kuypers (Intermarché-Wanty) are in the move.

The peloton has let the eight-man move go and that's our breakaway.

140km to go

Lidl-Trek are leading the peloton.

Three minutes for the breakaway currently.

There's not much on the route for the next 80km or so.

It's flat all the way to the intermediate sprint at Gotthardstrasse.

After that, the riders head uphill to the second-category climb at Schöllenen (4.5km at 7.5%) and then the first-category finisher at Gotthardpass (8.2km at 6.6%).

117km to go

4:30 for the breakaway currently.

A shot of the peloton earlier on today.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

106km to go

The riders nearing the 100km to go mark with the break at 4:45 up the road.

Coquard is the virtual GC leader at the moment. He lay 1:02 down in 56th place at the start of the day.

Antoine Aebi (Switzerland) is the first rider to abandon the race during today's stage.

90km to go

Past the halfway mark and there's not much change.

EF Education-EasyPost have joined Lidl-Trek in leading the peloton.

A bike change for race leader Alberto Bettiol, who has had a crash.

A picturesque scene from today's stage.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Almost seven minutes for the breakaway now.

68km to go

The gap is currently at 6:40.

The break of the day.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Around 30km to go until the riders start climbing.

55km to go

Still 6:50 between the groups.

It's been a very quiet day but we're coming closer to the climbing.

It's still Dillier, Træen, Coquard, Calmejane, Kuypers, Matthews, Thalmann, and Sommer out front.

Race leader Bettiol among his EF teammates in the peloton.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The breakaway pass through the intermediate sprint with Matthews leading the way ahead of Coquard and Calmejane.

33km to go

Calmejane tries a move at the front as the riders start climbing.

Skjelmose has a mechanical problem but is back in the peloton quickly.

Sommer and Kuypers dropped from the break.

And now Matthews attacks at the front.

30km to go

All back together at the front, barring Kuypers and Sommer.

Kuypers has worked his way back to the front.

Six minutes between break and peloton.

That gap coming down more and more as time passes.

The riders heading for the high mountains.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

24km to go

5:30 for the break.

All riders of the break, barring Sommer, still up there.

22km to go

5:10 for the breakaway riders now.

Q36.5 are leading the peloton at the moment.

EF are lined out behind.

20km to go

4:50 now.

Dillier makes a move up front.

Dillier brings Træen and Thalmann with him.

They have 4:20 now.

Dillier dropped from the lead group.

15km to go

Rui Costa and Alexey Lutsenko among those dropped from the peloton.

Four minutes for Træen and Thalmann.

Damiano Caruso dropped from the peloton.

The two leaders are over the top of the second-category Schöllenen.

Dillier, Calmejane, Coquard, Matthews, Kuypers all spread out further down, with DIllier at 15 seconds.

13km to go

The leaders on a flat section after the top of the climb now.

They still have 3:45 ahead of the final climb.

Thalmann and Træen at the head of the race.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

10km to go

Træen gets a bidon from his team car and immediately goes on the attack.

Q36.5 still leading the peloton.

Thalmann can't respond to Træen and it looks like the Norwegian rider could be on his way to victory.

8km to go

He has a minute on Dillier and 3:35 on the peloton.

Felix Gall and Egan Bernal make a move from the peloton.

Lidl-Trek take it up back in the peloton.

The attackers are caught.

7km to go

Valentin Paret-Peintre counters as Alberto Bettiol is dropped in the peloton.

A view of the riders climbing a little earlier.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A crash at the side of the peloton – Wilco Kelderman and Isaac Del Toro get tangled up after the Mexican's front wheel is swiped by accident by his teammate Adam Yates.

6km to go

They're both up and running after their bikes got tangled up.

Three minutes for Træen.

Calmejane caught.

It looks like Træen has this in the bag.

UAE Team Emirates set it up for an Adam Yates attack.

4km to go

He makes his move!

The peloton on the climb.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

No reaction to Yates' move.

Skjelmose leads the chase.

Yates catches Dillier.

3km to go

Træen has 1:40 on Yates.

And now Skjelmose attacks from the chase. Almeida goes with him.

Yates passes Thalmann.

Træen now tackling the cobbled road towards the top of the Gotthardpass.

Yates at 1:25 now.

2km to go

Træen still hanging on in there.

Skjelmose, Almeida, and Bernal are two minutes down. 45 seconds behind Yates and half a minute up on the chase.

Yates gaining time but Træen has got to the top of the climb.

It's a slightly flatter run to the line.

1.5km to go and Træen has just under a minute on Yates.

Skjelmose and Almeida leave Bernal behind at the top.

Yates closing in – 40 seconds now with 1.3km to go.

Behind them, the riders come past the top of the climb in small groups.

1km to go

Træen hits the final kilometre and he has 33 seconds.

Træen has 18 mountain points today, which will put him in the classification lead.

Now a downhill run towards the finish.

Træen into the final 200 metres.

Finish

Torstein Træen (Bahrain Victorious) wins stage 4 of the Tour de Suisse!

Yates comes home in second place at 23 seconds down.

Skjelmose leads home Almeida for third place at 48 seconds down.

Bernal is in fifth at a minute behind Træen.

Oscar Onley leads home Enric Mas, Felix Gall, Cian Uijtdebroeks, and Matthew Riccitello at 1:27 down.

Yellow jersey Alberto Bettiol finishes at 3:17.

A win for Bahrain Victorious 362 days after their rider Gino Mäder crashed and died at this race.

It's been just over two years since Træen was diagnosed with testicular cancer, too.

Adam Yates takes over the race lead with 26 seconds in hand over teammate Almeida, with Skjelmose on the same time in third place.

Bernal is fourth at 49 seconds while Wilco Kelderman is fifth at 1:15.

Træen crosses the line to win stage 4.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

And Yates on the podium in his new yellow jersey.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Tour de Suisse stage 4: Torstein Træen fends off Adam Yates for solo summit victory

Norwegian nets lone victory on Gotthardpass, Yates takes overall lead

That's all from us today on the live report for stage 4. Be sure to check back tomorrow for more on another summit finish at Carì.

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