On a completely flat course in its final part, it was indeed a new sprint that concluded the fourth stage of the 4 Days of Dunkirk between Mazingarbe and Aire-sur-la-Lys (174.8 km) this Friday. In a clear final stretch without crashes this time, it’s the belgian sprinter Lionel Taminiaux (Alpecin-Fenix) which emerges and imposes itself at the photofinish in front Stanislaw Aniolkowski (Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB) and Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Materials). Lorenzo Manzin (B&B Hotels-KTM) finished 4th and first in France. The leader of the race Arvid De Kleijn (Human Powered Health) takes 5th place, but loses its leader’s jersey in the bonus game, in favor ofEvaldas Siskevicius (Go Sport-Roubaix Lille Metropole), escaped at the start of the stage. Gerben Thijssen is now 2nd overall at 1″, at the same time as the former leader Arvid De Kleijn.
Video – When Bernard Martel talked about the 66th edition…
It drives fast in front of 🠎.#4JDD pic.twitter.com/miB2ej431q
— 4 Days of Dunkirk / Hauts-de-France GP (@4JDDunkerque) May 6, 2022
A quick start, a first breakaway duo finally resumed, a quartet takes the lead
Unlike the first stages, we are witnessing a very quick start and the breakaway of the day is having a hard time forming. After 30 kilometers at a brisk pace, it’s finally a duo that manages to isolate themselves in the lead. Alexandre Delettre (Cofidis) and Evaldas Siskevicius (Go Sport-Roubaix Lille Metropole) take off and will have a maximum lead of 4’30 » over the peloton, just 100km from the finish. The Lithuanian, 5th overall at 4″, took the opportunity to take bonuses in the intermediate sprints and then threatens the pink jersey withArvid De Kleijn (Human Powered Health).
But the riders definitely have ants in their legs today, and the peloton is accelerating again as some breaks occur. Yesterday’s winner Philip Gilbert (Lotto Soudal) is well ahead. This acceleration is fatal to the two breakaways who are caught at very high speed, so that at 80 terminals from the goal, the peloton is once again grouped together, and everything has to be redone.
Despite everything, four runners manage to take to their heels: Ludovic Robeet (Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB), Jonathan Couanon (Nice Metropolis Côte d’Azur), Leo Danes (Team U Nantes-Atlantique) and the unstoppable jersey of best climber Alex Colman (Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise), escaped for the fourth time in four days! At 72km, this quartet is 2’40 » ahead of a peloton that calms the game, led by the formations Human Powered Health and Go Sport-Roubaix Lille Metropole.
Lionel Taminiaux in the sprint, Evaldas Siskevivius new leader!
On a course with no difficulty, the scenario of a final sprint is confirmed as expected, while the peloton gradually returns. The gap is under a minute 20km from the line, whileAlex Colman gets up after comforting his weight jersey. The remaining trio is caught at 9 km, shortly after the first crossing of the finish line. The trains of the many sprinters present on the event are set up in the final kilometers. The teams Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert Materials and Groupama-FDJ lead under the red flame.
But it’s ultimately the Belgian Lionel Taminiaux (Alpecin-Fenix) which emerges and imposes itself in the photofinish in front Stanislaw Aniolkowski (Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB) and Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Materials). Lorenzo Manzin (B&B Hotels-KTM) finished 4th and first in France. The leader of the race Arvid De Kleijn (Human Powered Health) takes 5th place, but loses its leader’s jersey in the bonus game, in favor ofEvaldas Siskevicius (Go Sport-Roubaix Lille Metropole), escaped at the start of the stage. Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Materiaux) is now 2nd overall at 1″, at the same time as the former leader Arvid De Kleijn.
TAMINIAUX Lionel winner, ANIOLKOWSKI Stanislaw is second.#4JDD
— 4 Days of Dunkirk / Hauts-de-France GP (@4JDDunkerque) May 6, 2022
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