'I was suffering really hard' – Cees Bol takes his first victory from a breakaway on stage four of the 2026 Tour of Britain
Lewis Askey loses his GC lead to Tim Wellens during a dramatic day of racing, as Yorkshire hosts this year's queen stage
After escaping the peloton early on, as part of a six-man breakaway, Cees Bol displayed impressive endurance in the hills of North Yorkshire to push through and take victory on day four of the 2026 Tour of Britain.
The Dutch Decathlon CMA CGM rider was part of lead group that forged an early lead – which extended to over four minutes at one stage – along with Yorkshireman Ben Swift (Netcompany INEOS) Xando Muerisse (Pinorello Q36.5), Ian Lopez (Modern Adventure), Brem Deman (Team Flanders Baloise) and Boas Lysgaard (BHS-PL Beton Bornholm).
The much anticipated queen stage of the race was contested amid the tough terrain of the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors, and on Kidstones, a category two climb, UAE Team Emirates started riding hard for their GC contender, Tim Wellens, who began the day just 12 seconds behind the leader, Brit Lewis Askey (NSN).
By the time the lead group reached category-one Redmire, the final and hardest climb of the day, the chasers were right on their rear wheels. Together with young Scottish rider Elliot Rowe (Great Britain Cycling Team), Wellens joined the leaders.
His blood up, the Belgian soon began setting the pace and only Bol could stay with him as the pair crested Redmire with Wellens in the lead.
They soon established a one-and-a-half minute lead over the group behind them, and although this was slashed to 30 seconds as the finish at Leyburn loomed, they could not be caught. Bol proved the faster of the two in the end, securing his first stage win that wasn't the result of a sprint.
Tim Wellens seized the green jersey on stage four of the 2026 Tour of Britain
"[The victory] was unexpected for me," Bol said afterwards. "I was going in the break to actually help my teammate Dan [Hoole]. I found myself in the leading group on the top of the last climb and I knew the stage win was possible.
“I was suffering really hard because there was still a small hill two kilometres to go and Tim was really keeping the pace high there. Just suffering and focusing to not let the wheel go. From the top there I also didn’t pull anymore and then I knew I could win."
The result means home favourite Askey has lost his general classification lead to Wellens, whose performance – and that of his teammates – was exceptional today.
"Maybe because of the small help I got from Cees [Bol] I got a few more seconds in GC advantage," said Wellens afterwards. "But I’m happy he helped me, but I have the impression he needs to say more thank you to me than I to him.
"I’m feeling really good but tomorrow can be hectic. Hopefully there are some climbs and maybe in the beginning some rain. This is never nice, but I hope the advantage will be enough to keep it [the green jersey] until the end.”
The British rider, who rode hard to finish in fifth place, remains at the top of the points classification, was more magnanimous about losing his GC lead. "I can’t be disappointed with that," said Askey. "Every single person in the team today rode incredibly. I also rode a really good race and had a really good day.
"If I had replayed that race and been able to make decisions from a little control box, I would have done everything exactly the same. We were just beaten by a stronger man, honestly."
Tour of Britain Men 2026, Stage 4: Helmsley > Leyburn, 165.8km
1. Cees Bol (Ned) Decathlon CMA CGM, in 4:00:39
2. Tim Wellens (Bel) UAE Team Emirates-XRG, +3s
3. Fabio Christen (Sui) Pinarello Q36.5, +21s
4. Filippo Ganna (Ita) Netcompany-Ineos +30s
5. Lewis Askey (Gbr) NSN Cycling
6. Rick Pluimers (Ned) Tudor Pro Cycling
7. Axel Källberg (Fin) Lucky Sport Cycling
8. Matteo Trentin (Ita) Tudor Pro Cycling
9. Elliot Rowe (Gbr) Great Britain
10. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step, all at same time
General Classification after stage 4
1. Tim Wellens (Bel) UAE Team Emirates-XRG in 16:01:45
2. Lewis Askey (Gbr) NSN Cycling, +21s
3. Matteo Trentin (Ita) Tudor Pro Cycling, +40s
4. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step, +42s
5. Daan Hoole (Ned) Decathlon CMA CGM, "
6. Rick Pluimers (Ned) Tudor Pro Cycling, +54s
7. Elliot Rowe (Gbr) Great Britain, "
8. Filippo Ganna (Ita) Netcompany-Ineos +2:14
9. Mark Donovan (Gbr) Pinarello Q36.5, +2:41
10. Florian Vermeersch (Bel) UAE Team Emirates-XRG, +3:15
