Tour de la Provence 2019 – Stage 4 [FULL STAGE] (french)

February 17, 2019

Tour de la Provence 2019 – Stage 4 – Avignon – Aix-en-Provence : 173,3 km

The Tour La Provence is an early-season bicycle stage race in the Provence region of France. It is organized by southern French newspaper La Provence, which serves as the race’s title sponsor for its first three years. It is held in February, as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour calendar.

John Degenkolb of Trek-Segafredo won the fourth and last stage of the Tour de La Provence ahead of Simon Clarke from EF Education First on Sunday. Clarke gained enough time bonus to equal race leader Gorka Izagirre of Astana on time but the Spanish national champion was declared the fourth winner of the event after Thomas Voeckler, Rohan Dennis and Alexandre Geniez because of his advantage in hundredth of a second in the opening time trial.

“The first victory is always very important and it’s good when it comes as early as in the second race of the season,” said the German winner of Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix in 2015. “I’m very happy. We did a strong race as a team in the last four stages. We were already second yesterday [with Toms Skujins] and today we take the win, not only me but the whole team. It’s a fantastic victory that motivates me for the next races.”

It was an eventful stage that started in style in front of the Popes’ Palace in Avignon. Third on the line of the intermediate sprint behind Philippe Gilbert and Clarke after 12km of racing, Tony Gallopin of AG2R-La Mondiale took one second bonus that enabled him to round out the final podium.

King of the Mountains Lilian Calmejane from Direct Energie threatened Izagirre’s lead throughout a royale breakaway that also included stage 1 winner Filippo Ganna (Sky), Fausto Masnada (Androni Giocattoli), Lluis Mas (Movistar), Sébastien Reichenbach (Groupama-FDJ) and Rémi Cavagna (Deceuninck-QuickStep). The maximum time gap was three minutes after one hour of racing. Astana set the pace of the peloton until AG2R-La Mondiale came in help with 50km to go.

Best young rider David Gaudu of Groupama-FDJ was the last attacker along with Eddie Dunbar of Team Sky. They were reined under the red flame of the last kilometre. Third on the line, Anthony Maldonado from the French continental team St-Michel-Auber 93 eventually deprived Gallopin of the final victory as he took third place and the Parisian had to settle for fourth with no more time bonus.

“All week I’ve missed out on something,” the Frenchman lamented. “I’m very frustrated to leave the race win no stage win and no overall win. I believe we could although I was not at my best due to sickness and antibiotics. However, the positive point is that I have good form.”

The other frustrated rider was Clarke. “We knew it would come down to seconds and every day I’ve missed some seconds,” the Australian said. “I got squeezed in two final sprints and today, Philippe [Gilbert] beat me at the intermediate sprint by nothing. That was the difference. I don’t understand why he sprinted but that’s racing, anyone can do what they want. It was really close but I have to accept that. I wasn’t expecting to come second on the finishing line as I’m not a pure sprinter but I knew Degenkolb was fast and I made sure I found his wheel in the last corner.”

On the other hand, Izagirre was delighted to get his first ever stage race victory at the age of 31 one week after his brother Ion won the Vuelta Valenciana. “I’m very happy, very very happy,” the Spaniard said. “It’s been a very demanding and stressful finale but we made it. Mission accomplished. It’s a very big victory. I’m normally a team worker. I’m glad I got confidence from the team to ride for myself.”

Results :
1 John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-Segafredo 3:52:11
2 Simon Clarke (Aus) EF Education First
3 Anthony Maldonado (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
4 Tony Gallopin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
5 Damien Touze (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
6 Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
7 Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
8 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
9 Warren Barguil (Fra) Arkéa Samsic
10 August Jensen (Nor) Israel Cycling Academy
11 Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
12 Gorka Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Astana Pro Team
13 Edward Dunbar (Irl) Team Sky
14 Cyril Gautier (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
15 Kevin Le Cunff (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
16 David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
17 Lennard Kämna (Ger) Team Sunweb
18 Eduard Prades (Spa) Movistar Team
19 Dorian Godon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
20 Jerome Cousin (Fra) Direct Energie
21 Guillaume Boivin (Can) Israel Cycling Academy
22 Toms Skujins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo
23 Florian Senechal (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep
24 Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
25 Matteo Spreafico (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec
26 Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar Team
27 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) EF Education First
28 Arthur Vichot (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
29 Lilian Calmejane (Fra) Direct Energie
30 Rudy Molard (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
31 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
32 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sunweb
33 Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Wanty-Gobert
34 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
35 Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
36 Jimmy Janssens (Bel) Corendon-Circus
37 Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct Energie
38 Pierre Luc Perichon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
39 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty-Gobert
40 Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
41 Luis Mas Bonet (Spa) Movistar Team
42 Julien El Fares (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
43 Michael Gogl (Aut) Trek-Segafredo
44 Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Arkéa Samsic
45 Pieter Serry (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
46 Thibault Ferasse (Fra) Natura4Ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole 0:00:14
47 Yoann Paillot (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
48 Jérémy Maison (Fra) Arkéa Samsic
49 Diego Rosa (Ita) Team Sky
50 Pierre Idjouadiene (Fra) Natura4Ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole
51 Guy Niv (Isr) Israel Cycling Academy
52 Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep
53 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Corendon-Circus
54 Mauro Finetto (Ita) Delko Marseille Provence KTM 0:00:24
55 Fausto Masnada (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec
56 Niklas Eg (Den) Trek-Segafredo
57 Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar Team
58 Daniel Auer (Aut) Maloja Pushbikers
59 Antoine Duchesne (Can) Groupama-FDJ
60 Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) Wanty-Gobert 0:00:32
61 Jimmy Turgis (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
62 Amael Moinard (Fra) Arkéa Samsic 0:00:38
63 Hugh John Carthy (GBr) EF Education First
64 Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) Groupama-FDJ
65 Joe Dombrowski (USA) EF Education First
66 Maximilian Walscheid (Ger) Team Sunweb 0:00:54
67 Moreno Hofland (Ned) EF Education First 0:00:55
68 Josip Rumac (Cro) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec
69 Michael Storer (Aus) Team Sunweb
70 Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Wanty-Gobert
71 Mattia Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec
72 Johannes Schinnagel (Ger) Maloja Pushbikers
73 Felix Ritzinger (Aut) Maloja Pushbikers
74 Asbjørn Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb
75 Camille Thominet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
76 Loic Chetout (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
77 Yohann Gene (Fra) Direct Energie 0:01:00
78 Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
79 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Israel Cycling Academy
80 Krists Neilands (Lat) Israel Cycling Academy
81 Joeri Stallaert (Bel) Corendon-Circus
82 Lucas De Rossi (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
83 Lukas Schlemmer (Aut) Maloja Pushbikers
84 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Sunweb
85 Antonio Pedrero (Spa) Movistar Team
86 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky
87 Owain Doull (GBr) Team Sky
88 Alo Jakin (Est) St Michel-Auber 93
89 Chad Haga (USA) Team Sunweb 0:02:30
90 Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:03:37
91 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
92 Filippo Ganna (Ita) Team Sky
93 Otto Vergaerde (Bel) Corendon-Circus
94 Axel Domont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:04:43
95 Alan Riou (Fra) Arkéa Samsic
96 Dries De Bondt (Bel) Corendon-Circus 0:07:10
97 Tim Declercq (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
98 Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) EF Education First
99 Viesturs Luksevics (Lat) Amore & Vita-Prodir
100 Anthony Turgis (Fra) Direct Energie
101 Simon Sellier (Fra) Direct Energie
102 Julius van den Berg (Ned) EF Education First
103 Alex Frame (NZl) Trek-Segafredo
104 Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty-Gobert
105 Jaime Castrillo (Spa) Movistar Team
106 Wesley Kreder (Ned) Wanty-Gobert
107 Julien Antomarchi (Fra) Natura4Ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole
108 Yoann Bagot (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
109 Leonardo Basso (Ita) Team Sky
110 Maxime Cam (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
111 Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale
112 Fabien Schmidt (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
113 Stefan Kolb (Aut) Maloja Pushbikers 0:08:11
114 Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:11:00
115 Daniil Fominykh (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
116 Jonas Gregaard Wilsly (Den) Astana Pro Team
117 Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team
118 Romain Feillu (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
119 Christophe Masson (Fra) Natura4Ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole
120 Ludwig De Winter (Bel) Wanty-Gobert
121 Quentin Jauregui (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
122 Marcel Meisen (Ger) Corendon-Circus
123 Danilo Celano (Ita) Amore & Vita-Prodir
124 Bram Welten (Ned) Arkéa Samsic
125 Flavien Maurelet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
126 Jodok Salzmann (Aut) Maloja Pushbikers
127 Adrien Garel (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel 0:12:36
DNF Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Direct Energie
DNF Mattia Viel (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec
DNF Romain Seigle (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
DNF Valentin Götzinger (Aut) Maloja Pushbikers
DNF Maxence Moncassin (Fra) Amore & Vita-Prodir
DNF Matteo Moschetti (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Rémy Rochas (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
DNF Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
DNF Matthias Brändle (Aut) Israel Cycling Academy
DNF Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Trek-Segafredo
DNS Kasper Asgreen (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep

Final General Classification :
1 Gorka Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Astana Pro Team 13:18:06
2 Simon Clarke (Aus) EF Education First
3 Tony Gallopin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:01
4 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:02
5 Rudy Molard (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:10
6 David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:15
7 Edward Dunbar (Irl) Team Sky
8 Eduard Prades (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:21
9 Jimmy Janssens (Bel) Corendon-Circus 0:00:26
10 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:29
11 Lilian Calmejane (Fra) Direct Energie 0:00:32
12 Luis Mas Bonet (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:49
13 Cyril Gautier (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel 0:00:51
14 Pierre Luc Perichon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:00:55
15 Toms Skujins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:58
16 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel 0:01:10
17 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty-Gobert 0:01:11
18 Fausto Masnada (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec 0:01:22
19 Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:01:30
20 Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:01:46
21 Julien El Fares (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM 0:01:49
22 Pieter Serry (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:01:59
23 Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:02:03
24 Michael Storer (Aus) Team Sunweb 0:02:26
25 Antonio Pedrero (Spa) Movistar Team 0:02:42
26 Warren Barguil (Fra) Arkéa Samsic 0:02:52
27 Lennard Kämna (Ger) Team Sunweb 0:03:09
28 Hugh John Carthy (GBr) EF Education First 0:03:29
29 Chad Haga (USA) Team Sunweb 0:04:16
30 Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Wanty-Gobert 0:04:22
31 Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:04:56
32 Jérémy Maison (Fra) Arkéa Samsic 0:04:58
33 Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:05:30
34 Niklas Eg (Den) Trek-Segafredo 0:05:42
35 Michael Gogl (Aut) Trek-Segafredo 0:05:50
36 Dorian Godon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:05:51
37 Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:06:09
38 Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) Groupama-FDJ 0:06:15
39 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sunweb 0:06:19
40 Axel Domont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:06:25
41 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) EF Education First 0:07:16
42 Amael Moinard (Fra) Arkéa Samsic 0:07:19
43 Diego Rosa (Ita) Team Sky 0:07:54
44 Damien Touze (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:08:10
45 Filippo Ganna (Ita) Team Sky 0:09:04
46 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Corendon-Circus 0:09:24
47 Florian Senechal (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:10:06
48 Anthony Maldonado (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 0:11:06
49 Arthur Vichot (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel 0:11:08
50 Owain Doull (GBr) Team Sky 0:11:40
51 Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Arkéa Samsic 0:11:44
52 Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar Team 0:11:48
53 Mauro Finetto (Ita) Delko Marseille Provence KTM 0:11:55
54 Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:11:57
55 Kevin Le Cunff (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 0:12:32
56 Krists Neilands (Lat) Israel Cycling Academy 0:12:46
57 Yoann Paillot (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 0:13:24
58 Tim Declercq (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:13:25
59 Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar Team 0:13:28
60 Matteo Spreafico (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec 0:13:30
61 August Jensen (Nor) Israel Cycling Academy 0:13:46
62 Jimmy Turgis (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel 0:14:00
63 Thibault Ferasse (Fra) Natura4Ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole 0:14:01
64 Joe Dombrowski (USA) EF Education First 0:14:03
65 Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) Wanty-Gobert 0:14:17
66 Johannes Schinnagel (Ger) Maloja Pushbikers 0:14:32
67 Camille Thominet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 0:14:38
68 Guillaume Boivin (Can) Israel Cycling Academy 0:14:47
69 Lukas Schlemmer (Aut) Maloja Pushbikers 0:14:59
70 Quentin Jauregui (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:15:13
71 John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-Segafredo 0:15:49
72 Jerome Cousin (Fra) Direct Energie 0:16:19
73 Felix Ritzinger (Aut) Maloja Pushbikers 0:16:32
74 Antoine Duchesne (Can) Groupama-FDJ 0:16:37
75 Moreno Hofland (Ned) EF Education First 0:16:49
76 Pierre Idjouadiene (Fra) Natura4Ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole 0:16:58
77 Loic Chetout (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:17:17
78 Mattia Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec 0:17:19
79 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Israel Cycling Academy 0:17:33
80 Alo Jakin (Est) St Michel-Auber 93 0:17:38
81 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Sunweb 0:17:42
82 Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Wanty-Gobert 0:17:45
83 Otto Vergaerde (Bel) Corendon-Circus 0:18:31
84 Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) EF Education First 0:18:47
85 Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:19:28
86 Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct Energie 0:20:01
87 Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:20:21
88 Jaime Castrillo (Spa) Movistar Team 0:20:23
89 Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale 0:20:35
90 Julien Antomarchi (Fra) Natura4Ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole 0:20:38
91 Yohann Gene (Fra) Direct Energie 0:21:23
92 Joeri Stallaert (Bel) Corendon-Circus 0:21:24
93 Guy Niv (Isr) Israel Cycling Academy 0:21:40
94 Lucas De Rossi (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM 0:21:53
95 Maximilian Walscheid (Ger) Team Sunweb 0:22:17
96 Asbjørn Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb 0:22:31
97 Viesturs Luksevics (Lat) Amore & Vita-Prodir 0:22:39
98 Dries De Bondt (Bel) Corendon-Circus 0:22:48
99 Fabien Schmidt (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM 0:23:41
100 Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty-Gobert 0:23:46
101 Daniil Fominykh (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:24:03
102 Wesley Kreder (Ned) Wanty-Gobert 0:24:08
103 Alan Riou (Fra) Arkéa Samsic 0:24:49
104 Josip Rumac (Cro) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec 0:25:11
105 Daniel Auer (Aut) Maloja Pushbikers 0:25:30
106 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky 0:25:39
107 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:25:54
108 Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team 0:25:58
109 Julius van den Berg (Ned) EF Education First 0:26:53
110 Flavien Maurelet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 0:27:14
111 Anthony Turgis (Fra) Direct Energie 0:27:18
112 Simon Sellier (Fra) Direct Energie 0:28:00
113 Yoann Bagot (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel 0:28:10
114 Danilo Celano (Ita) Amore & Vita-Prodir 0:28:23
115 Maxime Cam (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel 0:28:38
116 Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:30:45
117 Bram Welten (Ned) Arkéa Samsic 0:31:44
118 Christophe Masson (Fra) Natura4Ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole 0:32:03
119 Leonardo Basso (Ita) Team Sky 0:33:20
120 Marcel Meisen (Ger) Corendon-Circus 0:35:25
121 Stefan Kolb (Aut) Maloja Pushbikers 0:35:27
122 Jonas Gregaard Wilsly (Den) Astana Pro Team 0:37:51
123 Romain Feillu (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 0:40:41
124 Alex Frame (NZl) Trek-Segafredo 0:40:47
125 Adrien Garel (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel 0:42:46
126 Ludwig De Winter (Bel) Wanty-Gobert 0:44:10
127 Jodok Salzmann (Aut) Maloja Pushbikers 0:48:18