Primoz Roglic sees off Julian Alaphilippe and big-hitters in Stage 4 tear-up at Tirreno-Adriatico

Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) saw off a bunch of big-hitters in an electric uphill finish on Stage 4 at Tirreno-Adriatico, just minutes after team-mate Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) had collided and crashed. In an appetiser for Friday’s summit finish in Sarnano-Sassotetto, Roglic proved the strongest on the final slog to see off the fast-finishing Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-QuickStep) and Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates).

Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers) was fifth. Ad After three relatively tame opening stages, the race exploded into life in the Italian hills on the run from Greccio to Tortoreto, where the riders were welcomed with a shark-tooth profile – four sharp climbs and three descents – in the circuit finish.

Tirreno — Adriatico'What a finale!' — Roglic stars to win Stage 4AN HOUR AGO With the likes of Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Circus-Wanty) repeatedly losing ground on the climbs, and then expending energy to latch back on, it soon became apparent the win would go to a GC hopeful on the third and final circuit. Jumbo-Visma and Ineos looked to control the peloton as it snaked towards the final climb, with Van Aert and Pidcock throwing their plans into disarray when they hit the tarmac.

The Belgian immediately got to his feet and offered his hand to Pidcock, who accepted, with the pair later seen cruising along at the back in conversation. Van Dijk to miss 2023 season due to pregnancy, targets return ahead of Paris 2024 Bernal to return to racing at end of March, could feature at Tour de France — 'Door wide open' Overnight leader Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) started to feel the strain with 2.3km remaining as the race headed uphill for the final