Frenchman goes it alone in typical fashion to grab lead from triple winner Kittel
Thomas Voeckler used his attacking style to catch, pass, and then drop the five-man front group to win the fourth stage of the Four Days of Dunkirk. His margin of winning was 1’43 over second-placed Laurent Pichon, which gave Voeckler the pink leader’s jersey from Marcel Kittel. A strong Zdenek Stybar took third place, showing that crossers can also race well on the road. The same holds true for Sven Nys, who formed part of the break of the day.
With the hilly parcours, Kittel had not much hope of keeping the pink jersey. Six KOMs were on order for the day. After 15 kilometers, a large group of over 30 riders broke off the front of the peloton. Within less than ten kilometers they had built a lead of over three minutes.
The peloton realized the danger of letting such a large group go and reduced the gap to 1’30 by kilometer 39. It went down below the one-minute mark, before going back up to 1’30 (km 51).
The group was caught when they entered the finishing circuit for the second time. A short while later, Matthieu Ladagnous (FDJ) attacked and the bunch broke into two pieces again. Race leader Kittel found himself in the second group.
A group of 21 riders formed, with an advantage of 45 seconds the third time they went over the finish line. Just a few kilometers later, at km 90, Sven Nys surprised the roadsters with a strong sprint to take the points at Oxelaere.
Former teammates Thomas Voeckler and Pierrick Fédrigo bridged up to the leaders. Fourth time over the finish line, a front group with Kevin De Weert (Quick Step), Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet) and Joost Van Leijen (Vacansoleil) led by 50 seconds over the Voeckler group. The pink jersey group was 1’45 back, but managed to re-join the Voeckler party at km 109.
A group of 16 broke off from the peloton and sixth time over the finish line, they trailed by 1’20. The pink jersey group around Kittel was behind by almost two minutes.
Two more riders managed to reach the front group before the third KOM in Cassel (km 145), with Morgan Kneisky and Davy Commeyne.
Voeckler bridged up to the leaders in the next-to-last lap, then immediately countered and sped off solo. He entered the last lap with a gap of 15 seconds, at km 174.
The chase behind was formed by Fédrigo, Commeyne, Mombaerts, Thierry Hupond (Skil-Shimano), Rob Ruijgh (Vacansoleil), Laurent Pichon (Bretagne – Schuller). There was another cross racer noticeable, as Zdenek Stybar also made the break.
But Voeckler was oblivious to the fury behind an extended his lead to 1’20 with four kilometer remaining. This was enough for the rider from the Alsace to ride it home.
Results stage four:
1. VOECKLER Thomas EUC 4h52’50”
2. PICHON Laurent BSC 01’43”
3. STYBAR Zdenek QST 01’43”
4. FEDRIGO Pierrick FDJ 01’43”
5. HUPOND Thierry SKS 01’43”
6. RUIJGH Rob VCD 01’43”
7. COMMEYNE Davy LAN 01’58”
8. WALLAYS Jelle TSV 02’03”
9. TRONET Steven RLM 02’03”
10. MOMBAERTS Johan AUB 02’03”
Overall standings after stage four
1 Thomas VOECKLER Team Europcar 16:42:42
2 Laurent PICHON Bretagne – Schuller 00:01:50
3 Zdenek STYBAR Quick Step Cycling Team 00:01:52
4 Rob RUIJGH Vacansoleil – DCM Procycling Team 00:01:56
5 Pierrick FÉDRIGO FDJ 00:01:56
6 Thierry HUPOND Skil-Shimano 00:01:56
7 Davy COMMEYNE Landbouwkrediet 00:02:08
8 Martijn KEIZER Vacansoleil – DCM Procycling Team 00:02:13
9 Mickaël DELAGE FDJ 00:02:15
10 Kevin DE WEERT Quick Step Cycling Team 00:02:15