In a race initially designed to be the Queen stage of the Vuelta a La Comunitat Valenciana, Stage 4 took an unexpected turn due to the tragic death of a person near the finish line. Consequently, the organisers decided to move the finish of the stage to the summit of El Miserat, 15.2 kilometres earlier than planned.

However it was still a very challenging day with five challenging mountain passes. In the revised stage, the day’s breakaway was reeled in at the base of the final climb (5.7 km at an average gradient of 9.2%), and the main protagonists riders initiated the decisive move at 3.5 km to go.

Aleksandr Vlasov (BORA) accelerated, followed by McNulty (UAE), and Santiago Buitrago. In a powerful solo effort, McNulty surged ahead with 2.2 km remaining, securing victory with a 12-second lead over Buitrago in 2nd place, who outsprinted Vlasov in 3rd. Another Bahrain rider, Pello Bilbao, narrowly missed the podium, finishing 4th, 24 seconds behind.

The stage 4 podium results reflect the new General Classification, with McNulty leading by 14 seconds over Buitrago and by 16 seconds over Vlasov.

All post-stage protocol activities were suspended as a mark of respect, and the riders arrived at Vall d’Ebo in a neutralized manner.

Reflecting on the day, Santiago Buitrago, who extended his lead in the best young rider classification, expressed condolences, saying, “We are saddened by what happened, and our thoughts are with his family and friends. We tried to give our best under the new race circumstances. The team worked well, and I achieved this good second place. I hope tomorrow we can defend the podium. It’s a very short stage, and anything can happen.”

Sports Director Roman Kreuziger praised Santiago and the team’s performance despite the challenging circumstances. “We received unfortunate news from the finish line, and the stage’s finish was moved. Despite that, Santiago was excellent. Pello also had a strong race, along with Kepplinger and Matej showcasing their class. Tomorrow promises a fierce battle for the podium, and we need to be prepared. We are satisfied so far; we just need to manage well and not lose the podium, or perhaps even consider making a move to gain something.”