Mads Pedersen claimed victory in the fourth stage of the Tour de France after a perfectly timed sprint from a breakaway, while defending champion Tadej Pogačar lost the yellow jersey in scorching 40°C heat.
Pedersen led Lidl-Trek teammate Quinn Simmons and Movistar’s Raul Garcia Pierna across the finish line after the 181.9km ride from Carcassonne to Foix.
Uno-X Mobility’s Torstein Traeen became the new race leader after finishing eighth and gaining nearly 13 minutes on the peloton. Pogačar finished 33rd and dropped to fourth overall, trailing Traeen by 7 minutes 53 seconds.
The riders battled extreme conditions, using ice packs and extra water supplies to cope with the heatwave. The Tour continues with a flat sprint-friendly stage before entering the Pyrenees.
