With more than 2400 metres of climbing, another bunch sprint was not a matter of course. Nevertheless, the 4th stage of the Tour of Guangxi from Bama to Jinchengjiang over 177 kilometres in the south of China ended with the same result as the previous day: with a bunch sprint and a victory for Ethan Vernon (Israel-Premier Tech). The Briton, who celebrated his second stage win in China, was stronger than Max Kanter (Astana Qazaqstan Team) in second place and Alberto Bruttomesso (Bahrain-Victorious), who completed the podium.

Nevertheless, Vernon was not able to enjoy defending his lead in the overall standings at the same time. The 24-year-old was handed a 20-second penalty. Not for behaviour contrary to the rules in the finale, because then he would also have lost his stage win. When Vernon lost contact with the peloton on the last climb of the day, he probably used irregular help on the way back. Instead of being eight seconds ahead of Kanter, he was now twelve seconds behind and dropped to 14th place in the overall standings.

But just as Kanter did not break out in jubilation on the podium at the podium ceremony, Vernon is unlikely to melt over his anger, as the upcoming stage has a mountain finish that will be too difficult for both of them. Keyword mountain: Pepijn Reinderink (Soudal - Quick Step) has conquered the corresponding jersey. He was part of the day's breakaway group and collected all the points. Vernon was able to defend the points classification.

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Tour of Guangxi 2024 - How the 4th stage went

A group of four with Stan Dewulf (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team), Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarche-Wanty), Pepijn Reinderink (Soudal - Quick Step) and "newcomer" Stefan Bissegger (EF Education EasyPost), who had already been active as breakaway riders in China, didn't let two kilometres go by before they attacked. Reinderink had set his sights on the mountain classification, which is how he took the first eight points on the 2nd category mountain after 13 kilometres. He got three more after 45 kilometres.

By then, however, the maximum lead of around three minutes had halved again. Nevertheless, the quartet remained in front for quite a while, with Reinderink also securing the mountain classifications after 92 (3rd category) and 142 (2nd category) kilometres. There were still 35 kilometres to go, but the air was out of the group after the Dutchman had reached the finish and Bissegger had lost the connection on the last climb.

Nevertheless, the peloton did not get any closer to the breakaway over the next few kilometres. A moderate pace, because Vernon and other sprinters had problems on the climb, as well as uncoordinated attacks from the peloton kept the remaining trio alive. With 24 kilometres to go, there was again a minute between the two groups. There was renewed hope at the front, but this was dampened when van der Hoorn was no longer able to ride with the peloton eleven kilometres from the end. 1000 metres later, the gap had melted to ten seconds, but Dewulf and Reinderink refused to give up. Only at the two-kilometre mark did they finally run out of steam, so that another bunch sprint concluded the 4th stage of the Tour of Guangxi.