Itzulia Basque Country stage 4 LIVE – Still no breakaway formed as Juan Ayuso abandons the race

McNulty has a lead of 35 seconds on the peloton. He’s looking good, but will surely need some support.

2026-04-09T12:59:59.903Z

Incidentally, Bou took another mountain point at the top of the Jata climb, reaching the top behind Anders Halland Johannessen and Jardi Van Der Lee.

2026-04-09T12:55:28.895Z

In the absence of their abandoned GC man Del Toro, UAE have been racing very aggressively, nearly winning the stage yesterday with Arrieta and trying to do so again today, with McNulty now and Pericas earlier.

2026-04-09T12:54:15.767Z

The riders are over the Jata climb, and Brandon McNulty has gone on the attack, opening up a small lead.

2026-04-09T12:49:04.256Z

Juan Ayuso, before pulling out of the race.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The peloton is making it’s way up the third climb of the day, the Jata, which rises for 4.6km at 5.8%.

2026-04-09T12:43:35.593Z

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-04-09T12:41:15.664Z

There was a split in the peloton on that descent, but the groups have come back together now.

2026-04-09T12:39:58.314Z

It seems Juan Ayuso was involved in a crash.

2026-04-09T12:39:25.022Z

Having been among the top favourites for the overall title, Ayuso has struggled throughout this race, first being well off the pace in the time trial, then being dropped on the climbs both on stage two and yesterday.

There’s another abandon to report, and it’s a big name – Juan Ayuso.

Kron managed to stay at the front to take the KOM points at the top of the climb, ahead of Simmons and Vauquelin.

So as they approach the top of the climb, the peloton is once again all together.

2026-04-09T12:27:48.129Z

Despite looking like a strong group, those riders have all been caught on the climb.

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Iker Mintegi has also attacked out of the peloton and is trying to join the leading sextet.

2026-04-09T12:21:27.592Z

That trio have caught the leading trio, so we have 6 riders leading the race about 10 seconds ahead of the peloton.

2026-04-09T12:20:09.083Z

Scaroni, Soler and Garcia Pierna have attacked and are chasing the leaders.

2026-04-09T12:19:16.119Z

This climb is San Pelayo, the first of five that come in quick succession, and averages 4.4% for 5.7km.

2026-04-09T12:18:10.805Z

The peloton has not eased up, and are brining the trio back again. They only have ten seconds as they approach the foot of the day’s second climb.

Tha large chase group has been shut down by the peloton, but Alaphilippe, Kron and Pericas still lead by about 25 seconds.

2026-04-09T12:11:18.992Z

A big group of riders have gone clear of the peloton and are trying to chase the leading trio. There are about 20 riders in it.

2026-04-09T12:08:19.718Z

Alaphilippe is the eye-catching name in this move. He might have lost the legs of his peak years, but remains a canny rider capable of winning big, as he proved at the GP de Québec last year. Could he make it a fourth French win in four days?

2026-04-09T12:04:14.588Z

This is looking more promising. The trio are 20 seconds up on the peloton.

2026-04-09T12:03:27.628Z

Kron is out on the attack again, going clear this time with Alaphilippe and Pericas.

Still no break has formed, as the riders continue along this flat section.

2026-04-09T11:54:39.145Z

That group has been caught – it was too big and unruly to be allowed up the road.

2026-04-09T11:54:04.970Z

Pello Bilbao has managed to sneak into this group. He’s not too far down on GC, in 13th at 3:42.

2026-04-09T11:52:18.644Z

A very large group of over 20 riders is trying to go clear. This is developing into a very hectic start!

Still no breakaway at this point. After descent of this climb comes the longest flat section of the day, lasting about 20km, so the battle to get into the break could rage for some time yet.

2026-04-09T11:45:16.692Z

Here is the updated KOM classification:

1 Bou 21 points

Bou made sure he was at the front of the bunch going over the climb to increases his lead in the KOM classification, with Pacher and Soler following behind.

2026-04-09T11:42:18.059Z

It’s been announced that Roger Adrià has abanoned the race having started today. It’s unclear yet why.

2026-04-09T11:39:58.239Z

He’s been brought, as has every other attempted attacker so far, and the race remains all together.

2026-04-09T11:38:57.647Z

Andreas Kron has used these gradients to attack out the bunch and gain a small lead.

2026-04-09T11:33:28.104Z

They’re on the Aretxabalgane now.

2026-04-09T11:30:52.135Z

The riders are about to start climbing, up the 4.5km, 5.3% Aretxabalgane. That should provide a springboard for strong climbers and puncheurs to try and form a breakaway.

2026-04-09T11:29:58.275Z

There have been attacks, but nothing has stuck so far.

And they’re off!

2026-04-09T11:19:45.465Z

The peloton is one rider short of those who finished yesterday – Emanuel Buchmann, whose tough start to the season continues.

2026-04-09T11:18:24.872Z

The riders have gathered at Galdakao, and have just set off from the unofficial start.

2026-04-09T11:14:02.366Z

Today’s is the kind of parcours that can make for very unpredictable racing – there’s lots of climbing, but not one standout climb in terms of difficulty. Of the seven climbs in total, six of them are rated category three, with just the final one rated category two.

2026-04-09T11:06:33.630Z

That was the case yesterday, when the bunch gave up the chase to allow the breakaway riders to make it to the finish, with Ineos’ Axel Laurance coming out on top. Here’s a reminder of how the stage went down.