Danish cyclist Mads Pedersen claimed victory in the fourth stage of the 2026 Tour de France on Tuesday, while Norwegian rider Torstein Traeen took over the race leader’s yellow jersey from defending champion Tadej Pogacar.

Pedersen, a former world road race champion, launched a decisive attack with 300 meters remaining, outpacing his breakaway companions to finish first. He crossed the line ahead of his Lidl-Trek teammate, American Quinn Simmons, who secured second place, and Spaniard Raul Garcia. This marks Pedersen’s third career Tour de France stage win and his first since 2023.

Meanwhile, Traeen finished eighth in the stage but gained significant time overall, moving into the yellow jersey as the new race leader. The Norwegian’s rise is particularly notable given his personal health challenges; Traeen was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2022 following a routine anti-doping test and has since made a remarkable return to competitive cycling.

The main peloton, including four-time Tour champion Pogacar, finished approximately 13 minutes behind the breakaway group. Pogacar, who had won the previous stage in Les Angles, did not contest the sprint finish on Tuesday and appeared to relinquish the duties of race leader.

The stage unfolded in Foix, with Traeen’s consistent performance allowing him to overtake Pogacar in the overall standings. While the defending champion conceded the yellow jersey, the race remains highly competitive with several stages still to unfold.

The events of stage four highlight both tactical team efforts and individual resilience, setting the tone for the coming days of the Tour de France.