Lars Petter Nordhaug holds overall lead ahead of short afternoon time trial
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) proved to be the fastest sprinter in the pack as he took the fourth, rainy, morning stage of the Post Danmark Rundt between Ringe and Odense. The former Norwegian champion was first to the line at the end of the short, 90km half-stage, finishing a length clear of British neo-pro Andy Fenn. Former track World champion Theo Bos (Rabobank) took fourth, ahead of current road World champion Mark Cavendish (Team Sky), who crossed the line protesting, feeling that he had been impeded.
“It was a fast and short stage, with a difficult final part because the road was slippery and there were some bad corners,” said Kristoff. “But the team worked great from the beginning to the end; we leaded the group, and in the end Alexander Porsev and Alexey Tsatevich did a great job, leaving me with only 500 metres to go. So I have to thank the whole team if I took the win; it was a perfect race.”
The short stage saw a breakaway from a three-man group, which escaped after just six kilometres. Jonas Aaen Jørgensen (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank), Nikolay Trusov (Rusvelo) and Christian Jersild Jensen (Blue Water) managed to get just a minute’s lead however, and were held at that distance by the Rabobank and Garmin-Sharp teams as the heavy rain began to fall.
Despite a late solo effort from Jensen the trio was captured on the outskirts of Odense, where Team Sky, and then Rabobank led the peloton into the finish. Katusha pulled Kristoff to the front of the pack however, and the Norwegian took the sprint to the line.
Time bonuses moved Kristoff to within a second of the race lead, but stage three winner Lars Petter Nordhaug (Team Sky) carried his yellow jersey ahead to the 14.5km evening time trial in the nearby town of Kerteminde.
“Now I’m second in general classification, but this afternoon there will be the ITT,” Kristoff said. “I’m not a specialist, so I’m expecting to lose some time even if I hope to impress myself. Maybe my teammates will have more chances, because the gaps in overall standings are still narrow; my goal is to try to win also tomorrow’s stage, and then focus to the other race I’ll take part to in this final part of the season. I’m in a good shape, so I want to take some more good results.”
Result stage 4
1. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha Team
2. Andy Fenn (GBr) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
3. Theo Bos (Ned) Rabobank
4. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Sky
5. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Colnago-CSF Inox
6. Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
7. Steele Von Hoff (Aus) Garmin-Sharp
8. Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Team Europcar
9. Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
10. André Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Belisol
Standings after stage 4
1. Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky
2. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha Team @ 1s
3. André Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Belisol @ 3s
4. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Rabobank @ 4s
5. Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin-Sharp @ 6s
6. Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Christina Watches-Onfone @ 10s
7. Nicola Boem (Ita) Colnago-CSF Inox
8. Rasmus Guldhammer (Den) Christina Watches-Onfone
9. David Veilleux (Can) Team Europcar
10. Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator