Breakaway swallowed by Peloton Monster, metres from safety

Canadian remains forth in Tour de France after Stage 4
See this mornings LiveBlog of Stage 4

Sprint Finish Tour de France Stage 4

A group of 5 cyclists broke from the main group right off the start of today’s stage of the Tour de France. Leading at one point by 3:57, the main group slowly but methodically closed the gap.

With 3km to go, the Peloton consisting of 164 riders, caught the elopers and swallowed them whole, like a giant fish eats a school of minnow.

Tour de France: Top 7 Overall Individual Times after Stage 4

The Finish

1. Alessandro Petacchi
2. Julian Dean
3. Edvald Hagen Boasson

One of the breakaway group, Francis De Greef was so over-whelmed by the onslaught, he lost focus and allowed himself to fall out of the peloton group in the last km of the 153.5 km race – thus losing 2:48 in the overall standings.

Canadians, Michaël Barry finished in 42nd place, and Ryder Hesjedal finished 96th. Both were in the Peloton group that finished with the same time.

Ryder Hesjedal who rides with Team Garmin-Transitions remains in forth place, individual time overall.

Team Garmin-Transitions holds second place team overall (+ 00:11), even after losing their star, Christian Vandevelde – who is out of the tour due to broken ribs he suffered in a fall on the cobblestones in Stage 3.

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