Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team rider Jan Bakelants finished 7th out of the original 13-rider breakaway that stayed away after escaping at the 21km mark of medium mountain, 169.5km Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 4 on Wednesday.
Bakelants went up the road with the following riders: Andriy Grivko (Astana), Christian Meier (Orica-GreenEdge), Imanol Erviti (Movistar), Maxime Bouet (AG2R), Romain Sicard (Europcar), Pim Ligthart (Lotto), Gustav Larsson (IAM), Damiano Caruso (Cannondale), Bob Jungels (Trek), Peter Velits (BMC), Yuriy Trofimov (Katusha), and Lars-Petter Nordhaug (Belkin).
Trofimov attacked on the last climb of the day and was able to win solo. Larsson was 2nd, and Ligthart 3rd. Bakelants finished out of the chase group behind Trofimov.
Kwiatkowski remains the top GC rider for OPQS, currently in 23rd place (+2'37").
OPQS looks next to medium mountain, 184km Stage 5 on Thursday. There are six categorized climbs: Three Category 2, and three Category 3.
The final kilometers are undulating. The finish includes a slight uphill into a flat final meters.
Gianni Meersman withdrew from the race due to stomach problems.
“It was clear that today was a good chance for a breakaway,” Bakelants said. “This morning we talked in the team meeting about trying to make it into the move of the day, and after 20 kilometers I managed to get into the group that stayed away. We collaborated really well. I knew the Col de Manse, which was the final climb, from the Tour de France. I knew the decisive move for the stage win would be made on this climb. I hesitated when Trofimov went. I should have gone with him, but I decided to stay with the group. We didn’t really cooperate behind him. So ,in the end he won. In the last 3 kilometers on the descent I tried to make a small gap to try and secure a place. But OK, it didn’t work out. In the end I went for the sprint. I earned 7th place, which isn’t what you want after working hard in a breakaway for such a long portion of a stage. But, it is what it is. It shows that I have the condition to be there in an important action, which I have also shown at other races before this. We will see in the next days if there will be a possibility to get in a breakaway and try to attack and win the stage.”
