Tadej Pogacar Absolute Masterclass: Tour de Romandie 2026 Stage 4
Tadej Pogačar continues to operate in a league entirely of his own. The Slovenian superstar delivered another devastating exhibition of his climbing prowess to win Stage 4 of the Tour de Romandie, soloing to victory in Charmey.
This marks Pogačar's third stage win of the race and his seventh victory in just ten race days this season. While he ties Paul Seixas and Remco Evenepoel in total win count, the sheer quality and dominance of Pogačar's triumphs stand completely apart.
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2026 Tour de Romandie - Men
The Jaunpass Demolition
The decisive moment came on the final climb of the day, the formidable Jaunpass, measuring 8.1 kilometers at a 7.9% average gradient. A dangerous breakaway featuring Primož Roglič and Valentin Paret-Peintre held a slim advantage at the base of the climb, but Pogačar's UAE Team Emirates squad methodically shut it down. Pavel Sivakov set an early pace that dropped top-ten GC contenders, and Felix Großschartner rolled out the red carpet as the final domestique.
With exactly 20 kilometers remaining, the World Champion launched his attack straight from the saddle. Initially, Lenny Martinez, Florian Lipowitz, and Jorgen Nordhagen attempted to follow his acceleration. However, Pogačar's sustained power was simply too much to handle.
With 18 kilometers to go, Pogačar rode everyone off his wheel without even needing a massive, explosive surge. Lipowitz fought valiantly and remained the last rider to crack, but eventually had to yield to Pogačar's relentless tempo.
A High-Speed Descent To Victory
Cresting the Jaunpass completely alone, Pogačar engaged in a high-speed plunge toward the finish line in Charmey. Showing no fear, the race leader hit staggering speeds of up to 100 km/h on the descent, remaining entirely in control.
Florian Lipowitz managed to hold his own on the flatter run-in to finish a very creditable second place, securing his runner-up spot in the general classification. Behind them, the chase group splintered, with Pablo Castrillo emerging to take third place on the stage.
Elsewhere on the descent, Carlos Rodriguez of INEOS-Grenadiers suffered a crash resulting in a badly torn jersey, though he appeared to escape serious injury at first glance.
Ultimately, the day belonged entirely to Pogačar. His untouchable performance over the mountain passes leaves him with a dominant seventh victory of the year as he easily overpowers the rest of the peloton.
