Tour de Wallonie 2021 – Stage 4 [FULL STAGE]

July 23, 2021

Tour de Wallonie 2021 – Stage 4 – Neufchâteau – Fleurus : 206 km

The VOO-Tour de Wallonie is a five-day stage race held in the Wallonia region of Belgium, a French-speaking area located in the south of the country. Like these one-day races, the Tour de Wallonie is characterised by an abundance of short sharp climbs and fatiguing, rolling roads. As a result, this race often favours the Classics specialists and those riders with a killer uphill sprint. With no time trial to speak of, the race is more akin to five separate one-day races than an actual stage race and – for that reason – tends to favour the Classics specialists like Tim Wellens, Dylan Teuns, Niki Terpstra and Greg Van Avermaet – all winners of this race in the past ten years. Since the race opened its doors to pro riders in 1996, only one has managed to win multiple editions – Greg Van Avermaet in 2013 and 2011.

Dylan Groewegen (Jumbo-Visma) sprinted to victory on stage 4 of the Tour de Wallonie in Fleurus, securing his second stage victory at the race.

The Dutchman went head-to-head with Florian Senechal (Deceuninck-QuickStep) in the final run to the line before his rival accidentally unclipped from his pedal in the closing metre of the 206-kilometre stage.

Giacomo Nizzolo (Qhubeka Assos) closed in to finish second with third-placed Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) close behind, but neither man could out-do Groenewegen, who was a clear victor having jumped from Jakobsen’s wheel 150 metres from the line.

“After a really hard stage we had a small group. In the end it was a sprint, and the team did a really good lead out. I did 200 metres, and it was enough,” Groenewegen said after his victory.

“I have some more races and then it’s better and better. I’m not at 100 per cent yet, but it’s close.”

Following a hard day out in the hills, which saw the breakaway take almost two hours to get established and race leader Quinn Simmons (Trek-Segafredo) at one point getting caught in a split, the stage came down to the final climb of the day – the Côte du Petit Try, 10 kilometres from the finish line.

The sprinters were among a large group of riders who made it back to the front of the race after battling up that climb, ensuring a sprint from a reduced group to the finish.

A small group had broken away off the front after Trek-Segafredo’s Gianluca Brambilla pushed the pace for Simmons, but there was a swift regrouping up front two kilometres later.

Tom Vandenbosch (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) took a chance off the front with seven kilometres to go, but Jumbo-Visma had organised their team at the front of the reduced peloton, reeling the attacker back before the final kilometres.

Uno-X, Alpecin-Fenix, Jumbo-Visma and Deceuninck-QuickStep were all present at the front in the last two kilometres, but it was QuickStep who took control for the final lead out.

Senechal was perfectly placed to start his sprint, and briefly went head-to-head against Groenewegen before his accidental unclipping. Behind, nobody was close to the Dutchman, who could celebrate his second win of the season and a return to the points jersey.

Quinn Simmons retains the race lead ahead of Saturday’s final stage, a 192-kilometre day from Dinant to Quaregnon.

Results :
1 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 55:16:00
2 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Team Qhubeka NextHas
3 Fernando Gaviria Rendon (Col) UAE Team Emirates
4 Luca Mozzato (Ita) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
5 Quinn Simmons (USA) Trek-Segafredo
6 Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
7 Amaury Capiot (Bel) Team Arkea-Samsic
8 Stefano Oldani (Ita) Lotto Soudal
9 Florian Senechal (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep
10 Milan Menten (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
11 Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
12 Jordi Warlop (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
13 Ryan Kamp (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal
14 Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Israel Start-up Nation
15 Quinten Hermans (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
16 Nick van der Lijke (Ned) Riwal Cycling Team
17 Lilian Calmejane (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team
18 Jake Stewart (GBr) Groupama-FDJ
19 Niccolò Bonifazio (Ita) Total Direct Energie
20 Ward Vanhoof (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
21 Daniel Hoelgaard (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
22 André Carvalho (Por) Cofidis
23 Fabio Van Den Bossche (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
24 Sean Quinn (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon
25 Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
26 Fernando Barceló Aragon (Spa) Cofidis
27 Lucas Eriksson (Swe) Riwal Cycling Team
28 Alessandro Covi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
29 Rui Oliveira (Por) UAE Team Emirates
30 Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Israel Start-up Nation
31 Rasmus Tiller (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
32 Lennert Teugels (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
33 Pascal Eenkhoorn (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
34 Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
35 Jesus Herrada (Spa) Cofidis
36 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal
37 Maxim Van Gils (Bel) Lotto Soudal
38 Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
39 Eliot Lietaer (Bel) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
40 Andrea Bagioli (Ita) Deceuninck-QuickStep
41 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) EF Education-Nippo
42 Matteo Fabbro (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe
43 Arjen Livyns (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
44 Dimitri Claeys (Bel) Team Qhubeka NextHash
45 William Barta (USA) EF Education-Nippo
46 Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Total Direct Energie
47 Jesper Hansen (Den) Riwal Cycling Team
48 Juan Pedro Lopez Perez (Spa) Trek-Segafredo
49 Toon Vandebosch (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal
50 Timo Roosen (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
51 Alexander Krieger (Ger) Alpecin-Fenix 0:17:00
52 Anders Skaarseth (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team 0:20:00
53 Tim van Dijke (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 0:51:00
54 Stan Dewulf (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team
55 Alexis Renard (Fra) Israel Start-up Nation
56 Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 2:14:00
57 Rick Pluimers (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
58 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Total Direct Energie
59 Tom Wirtgen (Lux) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
60 Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
61 Andreas Goeman (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
62 Thomas Joseph (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
63 Jimmy Janssens (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
64 Remy Mertz (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
65 Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe
66 Aimé De Gendt (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
67 Kenneth Van Rooy (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise 2:26:00
68 Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal
69 Fabien Grellier (Fra) Total Direct Energie
70 Laurenz Rex (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
71 Oliviero Troia (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
72 Sébastien Grignard (Bel) Lotto Soudal
73 Adrien Petit (Fra) Total Direct Energie
74 Marc Sarreau (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team
75 Lars van der Haar (Ned) Baloise-Trek Lion
76 Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Team Qhubeka NextHash
77 Kristoffer Halvorsen (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
78 Erik Nordsaeter Resell (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
79 Senne Leysen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
80 Gianni Marchand (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
81 Tom Paquot (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
82 Louis Vervaeke (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
83 Matthew Riccitello (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon
84 Loïc Vliegen (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
85 Jesper Schultz (Den) Riwal Cycling Team
86 Romain Seigle (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
87 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Groupama-FDJ
88 Bram Welten (Ned) Team Arkea-Samsic
89 Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) EF Education-Nippo
90 Jens Debusschere (Bel) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
91 Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
92 Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team
93 Bert De Backer (Bel) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
94 Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team
95 Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis
96 Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) UAE Team Emirates
97 Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
98 Gilles De Wilde (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise 4:29:00
99 Thomas Boudat (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic
100 Davide Cimolai (Ita) Israel Start-up Nation
101 Jens Reynders (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise 4:35:00
102 Andrea Vendrame (Ita) AG2R Citroën Team
103 Maxime De Poorter (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
104 Alan Riou (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic 4:38:00
105 Christophe Noppe (Bel) Team Arkea-Samsic
106 Eli Iserbyt (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal 4:49:00
107 Laurens Sweeck (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal
108 Witse Meeussen (Bel) Pauwells Sauzen-Bingoal
109 Julius van den Berg (Ned) EF Education-Nippo 4:53:00
110 William Bonnet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 6:21:00
111 Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Israel Start-up Nation
112 John Degenkolb (Ger) Lotto Soudal
113 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates
114 Norman Vahtra (Est) Israel Start-up Nation
115 Fabio Jakobsen (Ned) Deceuninck-QuickStep
116 Lawrence Naesen (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team
117 Valerio Conti (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
118 Josef Cerny (Cze) Deceuninck-QuickStep
119 Dylan Sunderland (Aus) Team Qhubeka NextHash
120 Logan Owen (USA) EF Education-Nippo
121 Tom Bohli (Swi) Cofidis
122 Morten Hulgaard (Den) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
123 Syver Wærsted (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
124 Piet Allegaert (Bel) Cofidis
125 Florian Vermeersch (Bel) Lotto Soudal 7:39:00
126 Alex Kirsch (Lux) Trek-Segafredo 9:52:00
127 Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Israel Start-up Nation 9:56:00
128 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo 10:50:00
129 Christopher Lawless (GBr) Total Direct Energie
130 Dries De Bondt (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
131 Diogo Barbosa (Por) Hagens Berman Axeon 12:21:00
132 Fabian Lienhard (Swi) Groupama-FDJ
133 Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
134 Matthew Holmes (GBr) Lotto Soudal 13:43:00
135 Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
136 Jakob Egholm (Den) Trek-Segafredo
137 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Alpecin-Fenix
138 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) EF Education-Nippo
139 Toon Aerts (Bel) Baloise-Trek Lions
140 Thijs Aerts (Bel) Baloise-Trek Lion
141 Daan Mariën (Bel) Baloise-Trek Lion
142 Antonio Nibali (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
143 Tobias Kongstad (Den) Riwal Cycling Team
144 Rasmus Christian Quaade (Den) Riwal Cycling Team
145 Donavan Grondin (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic 17:17:00

General Classification after Stage 4 :
1 Quinn Simmons (USA) Trek-Segafredo 15:58:43
2 Stan Dewulf (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team 0:00:03
3 Alexis Renard (Fra) Israel Start-up Nation 0:00:19
4 Fernando Barceló Aragon (Spa) Cofidis 0:00:23
5 Pascal Eenkhoorn (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
6 Quinten Hermans (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:00:26
7 Maxim Van Gils (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:00:27
8 Amaury Capiot (Bel) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:00:31
9 Eliot Lietaer (Bel) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
10 Fabio Van Den Bossche (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise 0:00:32
11 Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Israel Start-up Nation
12 Juan Pedro Lopez Perez (Spa) Trek-Segafredo
13 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:00:33
14 Stefano Oldani (Ita) Lotto Soudal 0:00:34
15 Milan Menten (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB 0:00:35
16 Nick van der Lijke (Ned) Riwal Cycling Team
17 Lilian Calmejane (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team
18 Sean Quinn (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon
19 Jesus Herrada (Spa) Cofidis
20 Dimitri Claeys (Bel) Team Qhubeka NextHash
21 Ward Vanhoof (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
22 André Carvalho (Por) Cofidis
23 Lucas Eriksson (Swe) Riwal Cycling Team
24 Alessandro Covi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
25 Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
26 Florian Senechal (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep
27 Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
28 Arjen Livyns (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
29 Matteo Fabbro (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe
30 Andrea Bagioli (Ita) Deceuninck-QuickStep
31 Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 0:01:32
32 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Team Qhubeka NextHash 0:01:34
33 Timo Roosen (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 0:01:36
34 Rasmus Tiller (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
35 Jake Stewart (GBr) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:41
36 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) EF Education-Nippo
37 Lennert Teugels (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
38 William Barta (USA) EF Education-Nippo 0:02:43
39 Kenneth Van Rooy (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise 0:03:01
40 Jesper Hansen (Den) Riwal Cycling Team 0:03:49
41 Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:03:55
42 Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe
43 Aimé De Gendt (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
44 Rick Pluimers (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
45 Remy Mertz (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
46 Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Israel Start-up Nation 0:04:32
47 Andrea Vendrame (Ita) AG2R Citroën Team 0:05:10
48 Eli Iserbyt (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal 0:05:24
49 Andreas Goeman (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex 0:06:51
50 Fernando Gaviria Rendon (Col) UAE Team Emirates 0:07:02
51 Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Total Direct Energie 0:07:22
52 Lawrence Naesen (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team 0:08:02
53 Tom Wirtgen (Lux) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB 0:09:36
54 Jesper Schultz (Den) Riwal Cycling Team 0:09:38
55 Toon Vandebosch (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal 0:10:34
56 Logan Owen (USA) EF Education-Nippo 0:10:56
57 Rui Oliveira (Por) UAE Team Emirates 0:11:00
58 Tim van Dijke (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 0:11:21
59 Luca Mozzato (Ita) B&B Hotels p/b KTM 0:11:30
60 Ryan Kamp (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal
61 Jordi Warlop (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
62 Alexander Krieger (Ger) Alpecin-Fenix 0:11:47
63 Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:12:56
64 Fabien Grellier (Fra) Total Direct Energie 0:13:00
65 Sébastien Grignard (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:13:22
66 Valerio Conti (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 0:13:33
67 Dylan Sunderland (Aus) Team NextHash
68 Erik Nordsaeter Resell (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team 0:13:51
69 Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:13:53
70 Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team 0:13:56
71 Laurenz Rex (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
72 Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal
73 Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team
74 Niccolò Bonifazio (Ita) Total Direct Energie 0:13:58
75 Matthew Holmes (GBr) Lotto Soudal 0:15:24
76 Loïc Vliegen (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:16:03
77 Christophe Noppe (Bel) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:16:08
78 Witse Meeussen (Bel) Pauwells Sauzen-Bingoal 0:16:19
79 Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:16:23
80 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 0:16:50
81 Daniel Hoelgaard (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team 0:16:56
82 Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
83 Jimmy Janssens (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 0:17:15
84 John Degenkolb (Ger) Lotto Soudal 0:17:17
85 Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Israel Start-up Nation 0:17:45
86 Tom Bohli (Swi) Cofidis 0:17:51
87 Thomas Joseph (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex 0:19:08
88 Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:19:10
89 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Total Direct Energie
90 Tom Paquot (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB 0:19:21
91 Marc Sarreau (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team 0:19:22
92 Bram Welten (Ned) Team Arkea-Samsic
93 Bert De Backer (Bel) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
94 Jens Debusschere (Bel) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
95 Fabian Lienhard (Swi) Groupama-FDJ 0:19:33
96 Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Team Qhubeka NextHash 0:19:37
97 Kristoffer Halvorsen (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team 0:20:38
98 Florian Vermeersch (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:21:14
99 Alex Kirsch (Lux) Trek-Segafredo 0:21:22
100 Thomas Boudat (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:21:25
101 Gianni Marchand (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex 0:21:30
102 Louis Vervaeke (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 0:21:31
103 Laurens Sweeck (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal 0:21:45
104 Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:21:47
105 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Groupama-FDJ 0:22:06
106 Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Israel Start-up Nation 0:22:08
107 Senne Leysen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 0:22:43
108 Adrien Petit (Fra) Total Direct Energie 0:22:55
109 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates 0:23:17
110 Piet Allegaert (Bel) Cofidis
111 Fabio Jakobsen (Ned) Deceuninck-QuickStep
112 Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis 0:23:38
113 Jens Reynders (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise 0:24:52
114 Lars van der Haar (Ned) Baloise-Trek Lion 0:25:03
115 Matthew Riccitello (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon
116 Davide Cimolai (Ita) Israel Start-up Nation 0:25:09
117 Anders Skaarseth (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team 0:25:13
118 Norman Vahtra (Est) Israel Start-up Nation 0:25:26
119 Oliviero Troia (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 0:27:05
120 Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) UAE Team Emirates 0:27:12
121 Dries De Bondt (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 0:27:36
122 Romain Seigle (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:28:32
123 Diogo Barbosa (Por) Hagens Berman Axeon 0:29:17
124 Maxime De Poorter (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex 0:29:21
125 Christopher Lawless (GBr) Total Direct Energie 0:29:55
126 Alan Riou (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:30:25
127 Toon Aerts (Bel) Baloise-Trek Lions 0:30:37
128 Gilles De Wilde (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise 0:31:26
129 Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) EF Education-Nippo 0:31:53
130 Julius van den Berg (Ned) EF Education-Nippo 0:33:03
131 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Alpecin-Fenix 0:34:00
132 Tobias Kongstad (Den) Riwal Cycling Team
133 Josef Cerny (Cze) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:35:07
134 Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:35:15
135 William Bonnet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:35:48
136 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) EF Education-Nippo 0:36:20
137 Morten Hulgaard (Den) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team 0:36:47
138 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:36:56
139 Daan Mariën (Bel) Baloise-Trek Lion 0:37:21
140 Syver Wærsted (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team 0:37:27
141 Rasmus Christian Quaade (Den) Riwal Cycling Team 0:39:41
142 Donavan Grondin (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:39:54
143 Antonio Nibali (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 0:40:17
144 Jakob Egholm (Den) Trek-Segafredo 0:43:10
145 Thijs Aerts (Bel) Baloise-Trek Lion