Why are star riders at the Tour de France trying to avoid leading the biggest race of the year?

Something unusual happened on stage 4 of this year’s Tour de France. Tim Wellens, a key domestique (support rider) for out-and-out favourite Tadej Pogačar darted off the front of the peloton to claim a solitary point over a relatively small hill (in the context of the mountains yet to come), stealing the polka dot jersey for the best climber in the race off his team leader at the end of the day.

It was a surprising move, as a rider like Wellens usually wouldn’t have much interest in taking a jersey, but there was more to it than met eye.