Andrea Bagioli wins Tour of Austria stage 4 after Bauke Mollema sparks thrilling finale

Andrea Bagioli won the fourth stage of the Tour of Austria on Saturday afternoon. All the leading general classification contenders showed themselves during an entertaining finale, before Lidl-Trek played their numerical advantage perfectly. Bauke Mollema was active once again and helped his Italian teammate secure the victory. Gregor Mühlberger retained the leader’s jersey.

The dominant Mühlberger had taken control of the general classification with victories on each of the first two stages. Experienced Lidl-Trek rider Mollema had also produced several impressive performances and started stage 4 sitting fourth overall, having remained among the strongest riders throughout the opening days in Austria.

As is so often the case in Austria, the fourth day once again featured plenty of climbing. The stage did not look exceptionally difficult on paper, but the short, steep ascents in the finale appeared likely to encourage aggressive racing and create an unpredictable battle for the stage victory.

A four-man group containing none of the race’s major names initially escaped shortly after the start, while two more ambitious riders attempted to bridge across. They were unable to make contact and spent dozens of kilometres caught between the breakaway and the peloton. The pair were eventually reeled back in by the main group.

The peloton appeared comfortable with the situation and allowed the four leaders to build a maximum advantage of six minutes. With 41 kilometres remaining, the breakaway was reduced to two riders. The final escapees were then caught with 20 kilometres to go, bringing the race back together ahead of the decisive section.

Mollema was the first rider to attack from the peloton once the breakaway had been neutralised. His move triggered a nervous and chaotic finale that also included a short but extremely steep climb. UAE Team Emirates-XRG tried to control the reduced peloton of approximately 25 riders, but found it difficult to keep every attack under control.

The race exploded on the brutally steep ascent, where a five-man group managed to pull clear. Mühlberger again looked extremely strong and was joined by Kevin Vermaerke, Paul Double and Andrew August. James Shaw initially managed to follow as well, but lost contact shortly before the summit. Lidl-Trek organised the chase behind them, with the peloton never far away.

The German-American team soon brought the attackers back, leaving a group of 11 riders — including three from Lidl-Trek — to contest the finish. The team delivered an excellent lead-out, allowing Bagioli to sprint to the stage victory. Mühlberger crossed the line in the same group and successfully defended his overall lead.