After three opening stages held in Bulgaria and a scheduled rest day, the 109th edition of the Giro d’Italia finally crossed into Italian territory this week, marking a major turning point in one of cycling’s most prestigious Grand Tours. When racing resumed on Tuesday, it was Ecuador’s Jhonatan Narváez who claimed the top spot on the podium for the 138-kilometer fourth stage, which ran from the southern Calabrian city of Catanzaro — located on the toe of the Italian peninsula — to the regional hub of Cosenza.
Heading into Tuesday’s stage, history-making Uruguayan rider Guillermo Thomas Silva held the overall general classification lead. Silva made Giro history as the first Uruguayan rider to ever win a stage and claim the iconic pink jersey, but his run at the top came to an abrupt end on Tuesday. Struggling with fatigue on a long, second-category climb that came in the latter half of the route, Silva faded dramatically mid-ascent and ultimately crossed the finish line more than 10 minutes behind the stage’s leading pack, losing his hold on the overall standings.
Italy’s own Giulio Ciccone, a home favorite, was in contention for the stage win right until the final sprint, but Narváez outpaced him in the final dash to the line. Venezuela’s Orluis Aular crossed the line in second place to round out the stage podium. Ciccone, who finished third, secured four valuable bonus seconds for his placement — a small margin that proved just enough to propel him into the overall lead. He currently holds a four-second advantage over his closest challengers: Jan Christen, Florian Stork, and 2021 Giro champion Egan Bernal.
The competition is set to intensify significantly on Wednesday, when riders take on the fifth stage of the race. The 203-kilometer route from Praia a Mare to Potenza is one of the most demanding stages of this year’s race, featuring nearly 4,000 meters of total climbing and almost no flat terrain, a profile that is widely expected to reshuffle the general classification standings.
The 109th men’s Giro d’Italia will conclude on May 31, with the final stage finishing in Rome. Following the men’s race, the annual women’s Giro will run from May 30 to June 7, with Italian star Elisa Longo Borghini set to defend her 2024 title.