Itzulia Basque Country: Meintjes wins subdued stage 4 after major crash neutralises peloton

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Louis Meintjes (Intermarché-Wanty) crossed the finish line first on a crash-marred largely neutralised stage 4 at the Itzulia Basque Country. 

Officials neutralized the main peloton - with the exception of six breakaway riders - after a serious crash on a descent with 35km to go, which saw multiple riders go down, including overall race leader Primož Roglič (Bora-Hansgrohe), Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep).

Although the main field was neutralised into Legutio, and GC times were not taken at the finish, officials allowed the original breakaway of six riders to continue the last 20km and contest the stage win.

Three of those six riders continued onward: Meintjes, Reuben Thompson (Groupama), and Karel Vacek (Burgos-BH). Some 10 kilometres out, Meintjes went clear and crossed the line to take the stage win.

Meintjes said that although he crossed the line first, it did not feel like a victory, given the crash that injured multiple riders and sent them to the hospital.

"I felt good. If there had been a chance for the break, I would have been ready to fight for the stage, but it's unfortunate. It takes a bit of the pleasure out of it. It may be a victory, but it doesn't really feel like it because you want it to be fair for everyone. We'll see. Right now, I don't know what the situation behind was, but it must have been pretty bad. I hope everybody has a speedy recovery."

The fourth stage at the Itzulia Basque Country gave the peloton a challenging 157.5km from Etxarri Aranatz to Legutio. The route included a category 2 ascent, Opakua (6.2km at 6.2%), located about 40km into the stage. After a race through valley roads, they reached a final circuit that included three back-to-back category 3 climbs: Olaeta (3.2km at 5.7%), Untzilla (2.4km at 8.1%) and Leintz-Gatzaga (3.1km at 8.5%), followed by a 12km run-in to the finish line in Legutio.

Rival teams paid close attention to Bora-Hansgrohe's overall race leader Primož Roglič. Although Roglič crashed on the previous stage 3, he managed to finish in the peloton but was likely feeling the after-effects of that accident, lining up with plasters on both his left elbow and right arm.

A breakaway emerged about 25km into the race, including Reuben Thompson (Groupama-FDJ), Louis Meintjes (Intermarché-Wanty), Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies), Mikel Retegi (Equipo Kern Pharma), Joseba López (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), and Karel Vacek (Burgos-BH).

The six leaders built their lead to over five minutes as they crested the Opakua climb, and increased to 6:30 on the descent and into the valley roads. That gap began to fall as the race approached the final circuit and the three successive ascents, with Bora-Hansgrohe leading the peloton.

The breakaway crested the Olaeta, the first of the final three climbs, and the gap dropped to under two minutes.

At approximately 36km to go, on the descent off of the Olaeta, a severe crash in the main field occurred, affecting at least 10 riders, including Roglič, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep).

Officials neutralised the breakaway and the peloton as medical support and emergency vehicles arrived to treat the injured riders. Several riders were transported to hospital. 

For safety reasons, officials cancel the Untzilla mountain pass and neutralise the route until the town of Aretxabaleta. The organisers waited for the medics to rejoin the race.

Officials also neutralized the main field all the way to the finish while allowing the original breakaway to contest the final 20km, but there were no changes in GC times.

Three riders continued onwards: Thompson, Meintjes and Vacek. Meintjes attacked with some 10 kilometres from the line to win the stage.

All of the riders were given the same general classification time. As Roglič and Evenepoel were forced to abandon the race, Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek), who was third overall, became the new race leader.

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