Tour de Suisse 2023: Gall solos to victory and race lead

image: Cor VosFelix Gall attacks early in the 22 kilometres long finish climb. The Austrian solos to victory, while Remco Evenepoel finishes in second and Mattias Skjelmose in third. Gall moves into the yellow jersey. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 4th stage 2023 Tour de Suisse

1. Felix Gall (aut)
2. Remco Evenepoel (bel) + 1.02
3. Mattias Skjelmose (den) + 1.03
4. Cian Uijtdebroeks (bel) + 1.05
5. Wilco Kelderman (nld) s.t.
6. Pello Bilbao (spa) s.t.
7. Romain Bardet (fra) + 1.07
8. Sylvain Moniquet (bel) + 1.10
9. Harold Tejada (col) + 1.36
10. Maximilian Schachmann (ger) + 1.49

12. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 1.51
13. Magnus Sheffield (usa) s.t.
14. Juan Ayuso (spa) s.t.

GC after stage 4
1. Felix Gall (aut)
2. Mattias Skjelmose (den) + 0.02
3. Remco Evenepoel (bel) + 0.16
4. Pello Bilbao (spa) + 0.57
5. Wilco Kelderman (nld) + 1.12
6. Juan Ayuso (spa) + 1.18
7. Romain Bardet (fra) + 1.25
8. Cian Uijtdebroeks (bel) + 1.26
9. Magnus Sheffield (usa) + 1.33
10. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 1.50

Race report
It takes almost one hour of relentless attacking before the breakaway takes shape. Daryl Impey, Nikias Arndt, Kristian Sbaragli, Lilian Calmejane, Jhonatan Narváez, Luca Mozzato, Stan Dewulf, Pascal Eenkhoorn, Lluís Mas and Kevin Vermaerke open up a gap of over 2 minutes.

Gino Mäder tracks the ten down in the climb to Crans Montana.

Calmejane attacks from the lead group with 21 kilometres remaining. Narváez, Vermaerke and Mäder are the first chasers. Meanwhile, Gall attacks from the lead group on the lower slopes and Ayuso can’t follow the pace.

Gall gobbles up the attackers. Evenepoel can’t follow the pace in the background when Bardet and Bilbao accelerate. The World Champion comes clawing back, only to be dropped and yoyo back in contention again.

Gall reaches the first summit in the finish climb 1 minute ahead of the other GC riders. As the road returns to climbing Lazkano goes after the Austrian. The chasers overhaul him with 8.5 kilometres remaining and then Bardet launches a counter-attack.

Kelderman strikes 2 kilometres later from the chase group and he rejoins the Frenchman. Bilbao also bridges across, but they are brought back on the penultimate summit of the irregular finish climb.

Gall takes the win and also moves into the yellow jersey, as Skjelmose finishes in third, 1.03 minutes behind the stage winner. The gap is only 2 seconds, while Evenepoel sits in third at 16 seconds.

Another interesting read: route 4th stage 2023 Tour de Suisse.