Home rider grabs lead after first shakeup in 2026 race
Narváez surges through to deny Aular on the line
Ecuador’s Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates XRG) powered to the line, claiming victory on stage four of the Giro d’Italia, outpacing Orluis Aular, with the home rider Giulio Ciccone taking over the leader’s pink jersey after crossing the line in third.
The first shakeup in this year’s race coincided with its arrival home in Italy following the opening three stages in Bulgaria, and after Aular hit the front ahead of Ciccone, Narváez came from behind and left the Venezuelan behind.
Narváez had previously won Giro stages in 2020 and 2024, but had not raced since a crash in January at the Tour Down Under in Australia. “It’s really big for me, coming from three months training in Ecuador,” Narváez said. “I want to say thanks to my family, my wife, my team. They’ve been a great support in this time.”
