Team Visma | Lease a Bike comes through first Giro d’Italia stage on Italian soil without problems
# Team Visma | Lease a Bike Navigates First Challenge in Giro d’Italia with Resilience
Team Visma | Lease a Bike encountered a promising day during the fourth stage of the Giro d’Italia, despite the absence of 35-year-old Dutch rider Wilco Kelderman, who is still recovering from his crash last Saturday. The remaining seven cyclists from the team quickly asserted their presence in the peloton on Italian turf, showcasing strategic prowess.
Early in the stage, six riders broke away, but the focus shifted as they approached Cozzo Tunno, a significant categorization with gradients of 5.9% over 14.4 km. The climb played a crucial role, pushing various sprinters out of contention and culminating in a reduced peloton vying for victory in Cosenza. Team Visma excelled in the front group, with strong efforts from Belgians Timo Kielich and Tim Rex, ultimately finishing with five riders in the lead, although they opted not to compete in the final sprint for the win, which was claimed by Jhonatan Narváez.
Reflecting on the day’s performance, sports director Marc Reef expressed his satisfaction. “Before the stage, we had clearly identified staying out of trouble as the main objective today. The wind at the start made things nervous, and the pace was high right from the beginning. That’s why we made sure Jonas was well positioned near the front on the climb and the following descent. Timo and Tim played a huge role in that and really put in a lot of work.”
Reef continued, “We stayed attentive on the climb and still had five riders in the front group. It’s unfortunate that Jonas didn’t manage to take any bonus seconds at the intermediate sprint, but the most important thing today was crossing the finish line safely in the front group. We achieved that, and we can be very satisfied with it.”
Looking ahead, the team prepares for another day filled with challenging climbs, promising continued excitement in the Giro d’Italia.
### Giro d’Italia Stage 4 Results
1. Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates – XRG) – 03:08:46
2. Orluis Aular (Movistar Team) – +00:00:00
3. Giulio Ciccone (Lidl – Trek) – +00:00:00
### Team Visma Rankings
– **18:** Jonas Vingegaard
– **21:** Davide Piganzoli
– **29:** Bart Lemmen
– **32:** Victor Campenaerts
– **42:** Sepp Kuss
– **141:** Timo Kielich
– **148:** Tim Rex
– **DNF:** Wilco Kelderman
With another stage on the horizon, Team Visma | Lease a Bike’s resilience and strategy will be crucial as they aim to navigate the challenges ahead.
