Sam Welsford also converts third cross from Danny van Poppel and completes hat-trick

Australia commenced the third stage of the WorldTour race without Luke Plapp, the national champion who had suffered a serious crash in the third stage towards Campbelltown on Wednesday, resulting in a ten-minute loss and significant skin abrasions. Consequently, continuing the race was not a viable option for him, and the Tour Down Under lost one of its top contenders.

The first attack in the entirely flat fourth stage came from another contender, Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step), who attempted a breakaway with former teammate José Álvaro Hodeg. However, it was not surprising that they didn't gain much space. Moments later, Alaphilippe's teammate Pieter Serry, along with Aussie Jackson Medway and Movistar's Vinicius Rangel, managed to establish a breakaway.

The peloton was then slowed down, but we also witnessed a crash involving four riders: Belgians Piet Allegaert and Laurens Huys hit the ground, along with their French teammates Axel Mariault and Louis Barré. Fortunately, all of them were able to resume their race fairly quickly and rejoin the peloton, which was led by the Astana Qazaqstan Team and BORA Hansgrohe on Welsford's birthday.

As the final ten kilometers approached, the narrative of the three riders came to an end, shifting the focus to the upcoming sprint. INEOS Grenadiers boldly assumed control to support Elia Viviani and Jhonatan Narváez. However, following some miscommunication, BORA-hansgrohe's riders remained composed. Welsford wasn't immediately on Van Poppel's wheel, but he waited just long enough allowing his sprinter to eventually move up from the third position. Girmay and Boven secured the remaining podium spots.