Abu dhabi: On stage 4 of the Tour of Austria, Kevin Vermaerke picked up his third podium spot of the week for UAE Team Emirates-XRG. With second place this time out, the American retains his place in second overall ahead of the fifth and final stage.

According to Emirates News Agency, stage 4 was another lumpy parcours in Austria, offering an opportunity for the strongest riders to thin out the peloton. So it proved on Saturday afternoon, with an 11-man group coming to the finish in Steyr and sprinting it out for the win.

Vermaerke took the initiative in the sprint but was ultimately pipped at the line by stage winner Andrea Bagioli (Lidl-Trek). Second place would have to do once more for the American, who can take solace from another impressive outing and his second position in the general classification.

The 2026 Tour of Austria will draw to a close on Sunday with stage 5, where a sprint finish might be on the cards in Wien.

Vermaerke said: 'I was really targeting this stage as a place to try and get my first professional win. The team really rallied around me and committed all day with Matteo and Vegard to keep the break in check and bring it back towards the final 40km. Then Ant³nio, Jan, and Igor really sat around me and protected me on the first two climbs.

'We were represented in a little move that went with around 20km to go, so I could sit in the wheels and save for the last climb, where I felt good. I was able to follow Paul Double at a super hard pace, and I think at the top it was only me, him and Mhlberger. I wanted to try and save some matches for the sprint.