The Dutchman Olav Kooij won the 4th stage of Tirreno-Adriatico to the Sprint, within a small group and in front of his compatriots Rick Pluimers and Mathieu Van der Poel. The Frenchman Paul Magnier took fourth place, while Filippo Ganna keeps the leading blue jersey.
It was a hilly step on the fourth day of Tirreno-Adriatico, in the center of Italy, this Thursday, but it was indeed a sprinter who won. While some of his colleagues, such as Jonathan Milan and Dylan Groenewegen, fell in love with the first slopes and were no longer reviewed, Olav Kooij hung on, and it was he who was the fastest when arriving in Trasacco. Even without a teammate in the final stretch, the Visma-Lease a Bike runner was able to place himself well, taking the wheel of French Paul Magnier, before overflowing it on the right and winning without problem.
The Dutchman did not win a massive sprint, since the peloton was only made up of sixty runners, but he was clearly the strongest to get the 39th victory of his career, at 23, the third this season after those won on the Tour of Oman.
Kooij was ahead of his compatriots: Rick Pluimers, winner of his first race on Muscat Classic last month, and former world champion Mathieu Van der Poel. Paul Magnier took fourth place. Filippo Ganna, who participated in the sprint and took 7th place, keeps the leading blue jersey. The French Kevin Vauquelin and Romain Grégoire are 6th and 10th, within a minute.
A group of five hosted the stage
The stage had started strong, with a coast of 14 kilometers to 4.1% to climb from the given departure. Several runners took the opportunity to escape, and it was the Spaniard Roger Adria (Red Bull – Bora Hansgrohe) who went to the top at the top. After multiple attacks, the situation ended up stabilizing around the 50th kilometer, with the formation of a group of five (Maestri, Leemreize, Arcas, Rutsch, Blume Levy). They counted up to 5’30 ahead and the German Jonas Rutsch (Intermarché-Wanty) was then the virtual leader when attacking the second difficulty of playing, the Valico La Crocetta (12.4km at 5.6%). The Italian Mirco Maestri (Polti Visitmalta) went to the top at the top, and the peloton then sawed himself in several pieces, under the impulse of Bahrain-Victorious and Grenadiers who caused edges.
In the head group, which then only had a thirty seconds ahead of the main peloton, Rutsch fell 25 kilometers from the finish and was taken over. 5 kilometers from the line, only Arcas, Maestri and Blume Levy were still present at the front, but they were joined by Ben Healy, while Mathieu Van der Poel tried, in vain, an offensive. The four men, then released by Arcas, were taken up in the last hectometers, and the victory therefore played the sprint. Friday, it is still a hilly stage which will be on the menu, with three ribs, one of which is eight kilometers from the finish.
World Tour / Tirreno-Adriatic (Italy)
4th stage classification (Norcia – Trasacco, 190km) – Thursday March 13, 2025
1- OLAV KOOIJ (PBS / VISMA-LAISE A bicycle) and 4:48’05
2- Rick Pluimers (PBS / Tudor) Mt
3- Mathieu van der Poel (PBS / Alpecin-deceuninck) Mt
4- Paul Magnier (Fra/Sudal-Quick Step) Mt
5- MICCO MASTERS (ITA / POLTI-VISITMALTA) MT
6- Andrea Verame (Ita / Decathlon-Ag2r La Moniale) Mt
7- Pilipppo Ganna (now / Incenadiers) Mt
8- Tom Pidcock (GBR / Q36.5) Mt
9- Giovanni Lonardi (Ita / polti-visitmalta) Mt
10- Filippo fiorelli (ita / vf group- bardiani csf- faizanè) mt
…
General classification (after 4 stages out of 7)
1- Filippo Ganna (Ita / ineos grenodiers) in 16:14’00
2- Juan Ayuso (ESP / UAE Emirates XRG) at 22 ″
3- Antonio Tiberi (Ita / Bahrain-Victoire) at 29 “
4- Derek Gee (CAN/Israel Premier Tech) at 34 ″
5- MATTY CATHNAO (ITA / SUDAL-QUIT stage) at 36 “
6- Kevin Vauquelin (Fra/Arkéa B&B Hotels) at 41 ″
7- Eddie Dunbar (IRL / Jaycoalula) at 44 ″
8- Laurens more
9- Ben Healy (IRL / EF Education-Eastpost) at 45 ″
10- Romain Grégoire (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) at 48 ″
…
