Slovenian cycling star Tadej Pogačar (Team Emirates) won stage four of the Paris-Nice race on 8 March, climbing to the top of the overall ranking of the eight-stage race after starting the day off in tenth place.

Pogačar won the stage in a battle with the French David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) and the Swiss Gino Mäder (Bahrain-Victorious) on a climb before the finish line.

Taking over the yellow jersey was not his plan today, but one does not pass over such an opportunity, Pogačar told the Paris-Nice race news team.

The 24-year-old said the day was tense and that even the flat sections were hard because of wind. He praised his team and especially Felix Grossschartner for getting him to "an excellent position".

Overall, Gaudu is in second place, with a 10 second-gap on Pogačar. The Dane Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) is in third place 44 seconds adrift.

Today's victory was the 52nd in Pogačar's career and the sixth this year, following five stage wins at the Vuelta a Andalucia last month.