Our team did a strong race on the first GC stage of this edition.
Stage 4 of the Tour of Britain delivered a meaningful shake-up of the general classification, but kept the gaps small ensuring the climax of this edition would be on the penultimate day. The five climbs – some of them having double-digit gradients – were stacked in the final 50 kilometers and to no one’s surprise, that’s where the big accelerations came.
Just as the peloton was preparing to reel in the escapees, Remco Evenepoel launched a strong attack and was joined by three men, together with whom he bridged across to the breakaway. Their action had potential, but it was a short-lived one, due to some members of the group not willing to cooperate. On the penultimate hill, the race was back as one, but the Olympic Champion tried again just before the top, an attack that opened the door to a move of Ethan Hayter.
The reigning ITT British Champion got a gap on the descent, but once again the peloton came furiously from behind and kept things together until the finale on the Burton Dassett Hill. That short punchy climb witnessed the victory of Romain Gregoire (Groupama-FDJ), while Ilan Van Wilder and Remco Evenepoel both finished just two seconds behind, the former coming over the line just outside the top ten.
“The boys did well, we controlled the stage and then tried to get away in the final kilometers, but it wasn’t possible to put some daylight into the peloton, which was well organised. Despite this, the team’s outing on this hard route gives us confidence for Saturday”, said sports director Klaas Lodewyck.
In the general classification, Soudal Quick-Step’s Belgian are well placed ahead of the hard uphill finish on The Tumble, where this edition of the Tour of Britain will be decided.
Photo credit: ©SWpix
