Giro d'Italia 2024 - Stage 4: Bauhaus sprints to the podium in Milan victory
Thomas Huber
· 07.05.2024
After second place the day before, Jonathan Milan from Team Lidl-Trek was able to celebrate his first stage win at the Giro d'Italia 2024 on the 190-kilometre stage 4 from Acqui Terme to Andora. The US team took an offensive approach to the finale, with rider Simone Consonni doing a strong job and delivering an almost perfect lead-out for Milan. The Italian opened his sprint quite early and then had great staying power. This allowed him to parry the attacks of Olav Kooij (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Tim Merlier (Soudal - Quick Step). In the end, Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) came dangerously close to Milan, but the Lidl-Trek rider was the first to cross the finish line in the sprint. Phil Bauhaus also proved to have a good punch and strong timing - he finished third in the end.
Milan takes the lead in the points classification
After Milan's strong performance in the intermediate sprint classifications on the previous day, he fell short of the stage win in the end and had to give way to Merlier on stage 3 of the Giro d'Italia 2024. The sprinter took a different tactical approach on stage 4: He left the intermediate sprint points to the other riders and concentrated fully on winning the stage - with success. Milan showed that he had the strongest legs on the stage and took the stage win. As a result, Jonathan Milan also takes the lead in the points classification and can wear the cyclamen red jersey on stage 5.
I have so many emotions inside me. My team did a fantastic job - it's amazing to have won the Giro d'Italia again. Thanks to the whole team! - Jonathan Milan in the winner's interview
Giro d'Italia 2024: Results - the top 10 of stage 4
- Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) 4:16:03
- Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) +0:00
- Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious) +0:00
- Olav Kooij (Visma | Lease a Bike) +0:00
- Tim Merlier (Soudal - Quick Step) +0:00
- Davide Ballerini (Astana Qazaqstan Team) +0:00
- Fernando Gaviria (Movistar) +0:00
- Enrico Zanoncello (VF Group - Bardiani CSF-Faizane) +0:00
- Madis Mihkels (Intermache-Wanty) +0:00
- Giovanni Lonardi (Polti-Kometa) +0:00
The current standings in the overall standings
- Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) 15:19:05
- Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) +0:46
- Daniel Felipe Martinez (Bora-Hansgrohe) +0:47
- Cian Uijtdebroeks (Visma | Lease a Bike) +0:55
- One Rubio (Movistar) +0:56
- Lorenzo Fortunato (Astana Qazaqstan Team) +1:07
- Juan Pedro Lopez (Lidl-Trek) +1:11
- Jan Hirt (Soudal - Quick Step) +1:13
- Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan Team) +1:26
- Esteban Chaves (EF Education EasyPost) +1:26
How the 4th stage of the Giro d'Italia 2024 went
Shortly after the start of the race, four riders broke away: Stefan de Bod (EF Education-EasyPost), Lilian Calmejane (Intermarche-Wanty), Francisco Munoz (Polti-Kometa) and Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) did not put any obstacles in the way of the remaining riders, so that the breakaway group had no problems finding each other.
Ganna with a brief breakaway appearance
A short time later, however, Ganna dropped back into the peloton - his chances of a possible stage win in the leading group were too slim. From then on, there were only three riders at the front. The peloton then allowed the leading trio to pull away, with the escapees having a maximum lead of over five minutes. Meanwhile in the peloton, the sprinter teams Lidl-Trek and Soudal - Quick Step took care of the chase for Jonathan Milan and Tim Merlier, who had taken second and first place the day before.
Lilian Calmejane once again took the full nine points at the only mountain classification of the day, while Francisco Munoz proved to be lively at the intermediate sprint classifications. After Calmejane came to the mountain classification in first place, he dropped back into the peloton a little later - his job was done with the nine mountain points he received. From then on, there were only two riders at the front.
Girmay crashes and has to give up
There were a few crashes on the damp roads - Ben O'Connor (Decahtlon AG2R La Mondiale) and Biniam Girmay (Intermache-Wanty) were among those to fall. The Eritrean even crashed twice and then had to abandon the race.
In the peloton, Visma | Lease a Bike took over the pace work for their sprinter Olav Kooij and increased the speed. Together with Lidl-Trek and Soudal - Quick Step, the Dutch team worked well together in the chase. Five kilometres before the finish, the peloton caught up with the escapees. At this point, the battles for position at the front of the peloton had already begun. The excitement was high.
Another breakaway attempt by Ganna
On the final short ramp, it was once again Ganna who stood out: he attacked and was able to create a gap between himself and the peloton, trying to put a spoke in the wheel of the sprinters in the final kilometre. However, the world hour record holder was caught on the final straight and the teams were still able to launch their sprints. Jonathan Milan had the best punch and won. Phil Bauhaus also put in a strong performance and finished third behind Kaden Groves.
