After taking the red leader's jersey in the first stage of the Vuelta a España in Novara, many expected Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) to repeat his success on the finish in Voiron.

The odds seemed favorable in the final meters of the fourth stage, with his last man, Edward Planckaert , leading the charge to the finish line. However, Ben Turner , a last-minute replacement for Ineos Grenadiers after Lucas Hamilton's withdrawal, ruined the Belgian sprinter's plans.

Positioned in fourth place behind the duo of Alpecin and Ethan Vernon (Israel-Premier Tech), Turner launched a sprint in the final 100 meters, taking advantage of Philipsen's trapped position between the barriers, his teammate, and Vernon. By the time the Belgian found space, it was too late, and he had to settle for second place.

Analyzing his performance after the stage, Philipsen didn't blame his teammate but cited a difficult finish and his own suboptimal condition: "I wanted to pass on the left, but Edward couldn't hear me because of the crowd and he was still far away. I lost speed and momentum, but above all, my legs weren't great."

The finish wasn't completely straight, and that made everything more difficult, but the feeling wasn't good at all. It's a shame I couldn't finish the job, but I didn't feel fit enough. My legs spoke volumes.

With the Vuelta returning to Spanish soil for the stage five team time trial, Philipsen will have to wait until the weekend for his next chance , with two high mountain stages in the Pyrenees before the sprint finish in Zaragoza.

In the points standings, Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) leads with 78 points, just two more than Vernon , with Philipsen third on 75.