Ecuadorian rider Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates XRG) sprinted to victory on stage four of the Giro d’Italia, overpowering Orluis Aular at the line. Italian Giulio Ciccone finished third and secured the overall leader’s pink jersey, marking the first major reshuffle of the 2026 race as it arrived in Italy after three opening stages in Bulgaria.
The day’s decisive action began when the peloton hit the long climb to Cozzo Tunno, 80km into the 138km route from Catanzaro to Cosenza in Calabria. The pace shattered the bunch, reducing the lead group to about 40 riders. Aular’s Movistar team set a fierce tempo on the ascent, quickly reeling in a six-man breakaway and dropping most sprint specialists, including former race leader Guillermo Thomas Silva. The Uruguayan, who had worn the maglia rosa since winning stage two, finished more than 12 minutes down.
Narváez, who had not raced since a crash at the Tour Down Under in January, credited his recovery and support network. “It’s really big for me, coming from three months training in Ecuador,” he said. “I want to say thanks to my family, my wife, my team. They’ve been a great support in this time.”
In the final 1.5km, Narváez’s teammate Jan Christen made a bold move in an attempt to take the pink jersey, but the effort was in vain. “Jan is a great guy, he was trying to take the pink jersey,” Narváez added. “He’s a young guy, he needs to learn how to race. He did a great final and in the end for me it was just waiting for the sprint.” Christen moved into second overall, four seconds behind Ciccone (Lidl-Trek). Ciccone snatched the pink jersey thanks to bonus seconds from the finish and an earlier intermediate sprint, softening the disappointment of missing a fourth career stage win.
Australia’s Kaden Groves abandoned the race during Tuesday’s stage, still suffering from injuries sustained in a crash at the end of stage one. Stage five on Wednesday is a 203km hilly ride north from Praia a Mare to Potenza.
