PARIS NICE – Wout van Aert wins ahead of Primoz Roglic, another hat-trick of the Jumbo-Visma

The Van Aert icing on the Jumbo-Visma cake. Like the show of force interviewed on the first stage, the Dutch formation left only crumbs, and even less than that, on Wednesday, during the time trial of the 4th stage of Paris-Nice. In an exercise that he masters to perfection, Wout Van Aert punctuated a new masterpiece of his formation, author of a new hat-trick. The vice-world champion in the discipline swallowed the 13.4 km drawn between Domérat and Montluçon with two seconds ahead of Primoz Roglic, and six seconds over Rohan Dennis. The Belgian naturally does a double blow by stealing the yellow jersey from another teammate, Christophe Laporte (11th, + 29”).

Küng and Bissegger too tender

To believe that the Race to the sun is a reference to the imperial yellow painted on the jerseys of the Jumbo-Visma. After a hat-trick on a stage in line, the Dutch formation declined its domination over the solo effort, the first places. Leaving on the first shots of the afternoon, Rohan Dennis did not have time to take advantage of the scenery offered by the Allier. The Australian had carte blanche to launch headlong into an exercise that has already crowned him twice at the Worlds (2018-2019). The early mark of the defector from the INEOS Grenadiers held a little longer than expected.

A Swiss duo was expected at the top of the lap times record at the finish in Montluçon. But, despite a promising first half of the course, Stefan Küng (Groupama – FDJ) and Stefan Bissegger (EF Education-EasyPost) stumbled on the last steep climb, the Côte de la rue Buffon (700 meters at 8.6%). The threatening percentages certainly pushed aside the Swiss riders, Küng finally finishing in 4th place (+ 10” from Van Aert) and Bissegger in 8th (+ 21”), but the most formidable adversity was yet to come. Not an exercise specialist, Simon Yates (BikeExchange – Jayco) sent a chill through the Yellow and Black training bus. Best time in the intermediate placed at Prémilhat (after 7 kilometers), the Briton finally stumbled on the last climb, failing on the line five seconds behind the Australian.

Van Aert unrolled, Latour well placed

Simon Yates dismissed, the dream of a hat-trick suddenly took on weight among the heralds of the Jumbo-Visma. The Van Aert-Roglic pair, considered unbeatable on paper, only had to finish the job. Before the fireworks, Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies) proved once again that he was more than just a flash in the pan. Physical problems out of reach and equipped with a new mount since the arrival of Peter Sagan in the off-season, the Drômois has reached a new level on the clock (6th, + 19”) and confirmed his excellent form at the moment. . Not enough, however, to worry Primoz Roglic and Wout Van Aert, successive leaders on the line at Montluçon. The Fleming takes the opportunity to offer himself a second bouquet this season, the 32nd in his career, and sharpens his ambitions for a final victory in Nice.

Yellow jersey, WVA will nevertheless have to deal with the regular Roglic (2nd, +10”). Further on, the gap already seems insurmountable for the other contenders for victory or the podium. Behind Christophe Laporte (3rd, + 28”), only Simon Yates (4th, + 49”) and Pierre Latour (5th, + 51”) are sailing less than a minute from the Belgian rocket. The passage on an attic macadam will perhaps not change anything, as the superiority of the Jumbo-Visma splashes the rest of the plateau. A good-quality aperitif before the next Tour de France.