The start of the fourth stage had barely been given when the race exploded. The crosswinds were used to create echelons and splits in the peloton. Vingegaard and Edoardo Affini were alert and part of a large leading group. The pace remained high throughout, preventing any groups coming back.

With 40 kilometres to go, the 40 leaders were shaken up by a crash involving, among others, general classification leader Juan Ayuso. As a result of the crash, the group broke in two and Vingegaard was left alone at the front on behalf of Team Visma | Lease a Bike. He took on four riders from Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and managed to beat them all on the final climb.

Vingegaard, dressed in an unusual fit, reached the finish line solo and gained more than forty seconds on the runner-up, Daniel Felipe Martinez. His victory also makes Vingegaard the new leader in the general classification. "I am incredibly happy and proud to have won a stage like this. This was probably one of the hardest-fought victories of my career", he said.

"It was full gas right from the start. The conditions didn't help. I think a lot of people were very cold, but luckily that didn't bother me. I had chosen to wear a lot of clothes and that was a good decision. Maybe I'm now a trendsetter by wearing my bibs over my jersey, but I just didn't have time to take any clothes off along the way."

For Vingegaard, it was his first victory of the season (the fourth for Team Visma | Lease a Bike), but also his first in Paris-Nice. "Last year, I left Paris-Nice due to a crash. It's great to be back with a stage win and the leader's jersey. The goal for the coming days is to defend this jersey. We have a strong team, so I'm confident."

Sports director Marc Reef calls it a heroic victory. "We weren't exactly in a great situation. We had hoped that several of our riders would be there if the peloton split up in the wind, but luckily Edo was able to protect Jonas all day."

Reef continues: "After the crash, Jonas took the lead with four riders from Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. At that point, he didn't have to do anything else. On the climb, he showed that he was the best. We can be very happy with the result. We saw a very strong Jonas. In the coming days, we will do everything we can to defend the jersey."

Davide Piganzoli was forced to abandon the race after a crash.