4 Jours de Dunkerque / Grand Prix des Hauts de France
Stage 4: Maubeuge - Achicourt
France
Friday 19 May 2023
173.8 km
Kasper Asgreen moves into the leader’s jersey

Traveling from Maubeuge to Achicourt, stage 4 of the French race was touted to be one for the sprinters, and in the end, it came down to a mass gallop, but the undulating terrain and the cobblestone sectors brought some significant changes to the general classification. The main reason for this was Soudal Quick-Step taking the race by the scruff of its neck and applying pressure as soon as the wind picked up, which resulted in a series of riders, including the overall leader, being distanced.
Our team continued to pull hard all the way to the line, where another hectic finale unfolded, with Belgian Champion Tim Merlier coming home in eighth place behind winner Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma). The Wolfpack’s huge work paid off, propelling Kasper Asgreen to the top of the general classification, ahead of teammate and best young rider Ethan Vernon, going into the queen stage of the event, held on the now famous Cassel circuit.
“It was a very hectic stage, due to the cobblestones, but the guys did a fantastic job to keep me, Tim and Ethan out of trouble. On the last sector, the bunch stretched out, I pushed a bit in the crosswinds and a split took place. The guys were fantastic, they pushed hard and it’s thanks to them that I have this jersey now”, said Asgreen, who took to the podium also together with Lars Craps and Ethan Vernon to be awarded the most combative team trophy. “I am happy that Lars joined us at the finish, he did an amazing ride the entire day and kept us out of trouble. It would be nice to keep the jersey and we’ll give it our best for this.”
Photo credit: ©Luc Claessen / Getty Images
Race details
1 |
Olav Kooij Jumbo-Visma |
3:44:42 |
2 |
Gerben Thijssen Intermarché - Circus - Wanty |
0:00 |
3 |
Milan Fretin Team Flanders - Baloise |
0:00 |
4 |
Erlend Blikra Uno-X Pro Cycling Team |
0:00 |
5 |
Paul Penhoët Groupama - FDJ |
0:00 |
6 |
Peter Sagan TotalEnergies |
0:00 |
7 |
Lorrenzo Manzin TotalEnergies |
0:00 |
8 |
Tim Merlier
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
9 |
Rüdiger Selig Lotto Dstny |
0:00 |
10 |
Alexis Renard Cofidis |
0:00 |
16 |
Ethan Vernon
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
34 |
Kasper Asgreen
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
61 |
Stan Van Tricht
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
67 |
Jannik Steimle
Soudal - Quick Step |
1:12 |
68 |
Bert Van Lerberghe
Soudal - Quick Step |
1:12 |
94 |
Lars Craps Soudal - Quick Step |
1:36 |
1 |
Kasper Asgreen
Soudal - Quick Step |
12:35:00 |
2 |
Ethan Vernon
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:06 |
3 |
Olav Kooij Jumbo-Visma |
0:07 |
4 |
Romain Grégoire Groupama - FDJ |
0:07 |
5 |
Cees Bol Astana Qazaqstan Team |
0:12 |
6 |
Samuel Watson Groupama - FDJ |
0:15 |
7 |
Brent Van Moer Lotto Dstny |
0:16 |
8 |
Peter Sagan TotalEnergies |
0:18 |
9 |
Logan Currie Bolton Equities Black Spoke |
0:19 |
10 |
Cedric Beullens Lotto Dstny |
0:26 |
20 |
Stan Van Tricht
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:50 |
22 |
Tim Merlier
Soudal - Quick Step |
1:01 |
45 |
Jannik Steimle
Soudal - Quick Step |
2:12 |
82 |
Bert Van Lerberghe
Soudal - Quick Step |
4:54 |
87 |
Lars Craps Soudal - Quick Step |
5:24 |
1 |
Olav Kooij Jumbo-Visma |
31 pt |
2 |
Benjamin Thomas Cofidis |
20 pt |
3 |
Ethan Vernon
Soudal - Quick Step |
19 pt |
4 |
Paul Penhoët Groupama - FDJ |
18 pt |
5 |
Romain Grégoire Groupama - FDJ |
16 pt |
6 |
Gerben Thijssen Intermarché - Circus - Wanty |
16 pt |
7 |
Peter Sagan TotalEnergies |
15 pt |
8 |
Niklas Larsen Uno-X Pro Cycling Team |
12 pt |
9 |
Max Walscheid Cofidis |
12 pt |
10 |
Samuel Leroux Van Rysel - Roubaix Lille Métropole |
11 pt |
11 |
Tim Merlier
Soudal - Quick Step |
10 pt |
14 |
Kasper Asgreen
Soudal - Quick Step |
9 pt |
38 |
Jannik Steimle
Soudal - Quick Step |
1 pt |
1 |
Alex Colman Team Flanders - Baloise |
17 pt |
2 |
Tuur Dens Team Flanders - Baloise |
15 pt |
3 |
Ceriel Desal Bingoal WB |
13 pt |
4 |
Kenny Molly Van Rysel - Roubaix Lille Métropole |
10 pt |
5 |
Damien Girard Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur |
7 pt |
6 |
Pier-André Coté Human Powered Health |
4 pt |
7 |
Geoffrey Soupe TotalEnergies |
3 pt |
8 |
Kasper Asgreen
Soudal - Quick Step |
2 pt |
9 |
Logan Currie Bolton Equities Black Spoke |
2 pt |
10 |
Olivier Le Gac Groupama - FDJ |
2 pt |
1 |
Ethan Vernon
Soudal - Quick Step |
12:35:06 |
2 |
Olav Kooij Jumbo-Visma |
0:01 |
3 |
Romain Grégoire Groupama - FDJ |
0:01 |
4 |
Samuel Watson Groupama - FDJ |
0:09 |
5 |
Logan Currie Bolton Equities Black Spoke |
0:13 |
6 |
Alexis Renard Cofidis |
0:21 |
7 |
Paul Penhoët Groupama - FDJ |
0:31 |
8 |
Per Strand Hagenes Jumbo-Visma |
0:33 |
9 |
Lewis Askey Groupama - FDJ |
0:44 |
10 |
Stan Van Tricht
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:44 |
32 |
Lars Craps Soudal - Quick Step |
5:18 |
1 | Soudal - Quick Step | 37:45:32 |
2 | Groupama - FDJ | 0:32 |
3 | Lotto Dstny | 1:10 |
4 | TotalEnergies | 1:12 |
5 | Jumbo-Visma | 1:14 |
6 | Astana Qazaqstan Team | 1:40 |
7 | AG2R Citroën Team | 1:47 |
8 | Bolton Equities Black Spoke | 1:49 |
9 | Intermarché - Circus - Wanty | 2:34 |
10 | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | 3:11 |