Tour de Yorkshire 2019 – Stage 4 [LAST 25 KM]

May 5, 2019

Tour de Yorkshire 2019 – Stage 4 – Halifax – Leeds : 175 km

The European peloton returns to British shores later this week with the fifth edition of the Tour de Yorkshire. Defending champion Greg Van Avermaet (CCC Team) is set to return, while Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) and Marcel Kittel (Katusha-Alpecin) both arrive looking to kick-start their seasons after a difficult spring. The race also sees the first outing of Team Ineos in their official 2019 kit, after the takeover from Team Sky. Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome will lead a team that includes Ian Stannard and Owain Doull as the British squad aims to win their first Tour de Yorkshire title since the inaugural edition in 2015. Since then Thomas Voeckler, Serge Pauwels and Van Avermaet have all triumphed through a mixture of aggressive and tactically astute racing. Although this is arguably the weakest field in the race’s short history, with just four WorldTour squads on the start list, there are plenty of interesting subplots to follow during the four stages. Along with the likely protests set to befall Team Ineos over their lead sponsor’s controversial fracking programme, there are a number of rider appearances worthy of tracking.

Chris Lawless (Team Ineos) won the Tour de Yorkshire, surviving over the climbs of the final stage, the race’s toughest, between Halifax and Leeds. Greg Van Avermaet (CCC Team) took the stage win, but with Lawless taking second ahead of his teammate Eddie Dunbar, the bonus seconds weren’t enough to overhaul the Briton.

Alexander Kamp’s team Riwal Readynez put on pressure in the final 50 kilometres of the stage, but things really kicked off when Chris Froome (Team Ineos) accelerated on the final climb of the day, 20km out.

His teammate Eddie Dunbar went on the attack on the descent, forcing Van Avermaet’s CCC Team and a lone Kamp to give chase. Van Avermaet went for it 5km from the line, bridging to Dunbar but taking Lawless with him, while further back Kamp formed a chase group.

Kamp’s group couldn’t close the gap though, and with Ineos enjoying the numerical advantage in the lead group, the race was mathematically decided before the final sprint, which saw Van Avermaet ease to the win ahead of his Ineos companions.

“If someone had told me that I’d win this race when I was coming into it, I’d have called them a bare-faced liar,” said Lawless after the stage. “I didn’t think it was possible.

“I’ve got to really thank the team for having faith in me and backing me because I don’t really have a good history of performing on courses like this.

“When Greg went on the climb with 5km to go, we already had Eddie up the road and I knew I just had to follow. As soon as we got there, I told Eddie to ride because I knew even if I got second on the stage and Greg won then I’d still win.”

How it unfolded

As the peloton set off for the final stage of the Tour de Yorkshire, there would have been some relief that there would be no repeat of Saturday’s adverse weather. Still, the 175km from Halifax to Leeds would be a tougher test, running over the Yorkshire Dales and taking in five classified climbs along the way.

Nine men got away from the peloton early on to form the break of the day. Pierre Rolland (Vital Concept-B&B Hotels) was the biggest name in the move. He was joined by Jonathan Hivert (Total Direct Énergie), Arnaud Courteille (both Vital Concept-B&B Hotels), Victor Lafay (Cofidis), Julen Irizar (Euskadi-Murias), Jacob Scott (SwiftCarbon), Jonathan McEvoy, Joey Walker (both Madison Genesis) and Ethan Hayter (Great Britain).

Team Ineos led the peloton for most of the day, with Ian Stannard spending over 100km working on the front tapping out a steady tempo and holding the break under three minutes.

The peloton whittled down kilometre by kilometre, until Riwal Readynez took to the front 50km from the line on the penultimate climb of the day, the Côte de Greenhow Hill. Immediately, the peloton shattered as Kamp’s team upped the pace, seeking to put race leader Chris Lawless under pressure.

A minute up the road, the break disintegrated on the same climb. Courteille, Lafay and Hivert led the way over the top, with Courteille taking the points to move into the lead of the mountain classification.

Riwal slowed up the pace after the climb, letting the gap expand to two minutes, with several groups returning to the fold, including several of their own dropped riders. Bolstered by more of Kamp’s teammates up front, the pace was soon upped once again.

Ineos were back on the front by the final climb of the day, the Côte de Otley Chevin, with the gap to the three leaders evaporating on the 10 per cent average gradient. With Lawless struggling on the climb, Froome put in a stinging attack halfway up, kicking off the race’s endgame.

Over the top, Kamp and Van Avermaet were among the riders in the lead group. Froome’s teammate Eddie Dunbar was there too, but not for long. The Irishman, also 10 seconds down on GC, attacked the descent.

Dunbar quickly bridged to the break, while further back, the GC group swelled as Lawless and several other dropped riders got back in. At the final intermediate sprint 13km out, Dunbar rolled over the line to grab three bonus seconds, while the CCC-led peloton chased 25 seconds back.

Van Avermaet launched his bid for victory on an unclassified rise with 5km to race, catching Dunbar but bringing Lawless with him. Kamp quickly formed a second group as the peloton stalled behind, setting up a tense chase on the final run-in.

It wasn’t to be for Kamp though, despite the commendable efforts of his Continental-ranked team. The leaders held on to the finish, with Van Avermaet triumphing in the lightly-contested sprint while Lawless savoured his overall victory.

Results :
1 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) CCC Team 4:40:03
2 Christopher Lawless (GBr) Team Ineos
3 Edward Dunbar (Irl) Team Ineos 0:00:02
4 Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Dimension Data 0:00:09
5 James Shaw (GBr) Swiftcarbon Pro Cycling
6 Matthew Holmes (GBr) Madison Genesis
7 Alexander Kamp (Den) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team
8 Gabriel Cullaigh (GBr) Team Wiggins Lecol 0:00:12
9 Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
10 Scott Thwaites (GBr) Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK
11 Kevin Vermaerke (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon
12 Cyril Barthe (Fra) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias
13 Nick van der Lijke (Ned) Roompot-Charles
14 Connor Swift (GBr) Madison Genesis
15 Paul Ourselin (Fra) Total Direct Energie
16 Max Stedman (GBr) Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes
17 Owain Doull (GBr) Team Ineos
18 Chris Froome (GBr) Team Ineos
19 Michal Golas (Pol) Team Ineos
20 Mark Christian (GBr) Team Wiggins Lecol
21 Romain Sicard (Fra) Total Direct Energie
22 Fabien Grellier (Fra) Total Direct Energie
23 Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
24 Sindre Skjøstad Lunke (Nor) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team
25 Steff Cras (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
26 Sean Quinn (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon
27 Victor Lafay (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:00:23
28 Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Roompot-Charles
29 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Total Direct Energie
30 Huub Duijn (Ned) Roompot-Charles
31 Serge Pauwels (Bel) CCC Team 0:01:54
32 Andreas Nielsen (Den) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team 0:02:04
33 Robin Carpenter (USA) Rally UHC Cycling
34 Christopher Mcglinchey (Irl) Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK
35 Tristan Robbins (GBr) Swiftcarbon Pro Cycling
36 John Archibald (GBr) Ribble Pro Cycling
37 James Fouche (NZl) Team Wiggins Lecol 0:02:07
38 Thomas Stewart (GBr) Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes
39 Michael Schär (Swi) CCC Team 0:02:10
40 Nathan Van Hooydonck (Bel) CCC Team
41 Lucas Eriksson (Swe) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team
42 Ethan Hayter (GBr) Great Britain National Team
43 Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Total Direct Energie 0:02:11
44 Arnaud Courteille (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
45 Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:03:28
46 Alex Luhrs (GBr) Ribble Pro Cycling 0:04:06
47 Scott Auld (GBr) Ribble Pro Cycling
48 Emmanuel Morin (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
49 Emil Nygaard Vinjebo (Den) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team
50 Krister Hagen (Nor) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team
51 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel 0:04:14
52 Rasmus Tiller (Nor) Dimension Data
53 Michael Cuming (GBr) Madison Genesis
54 Daniel McLay (GBr) Great Britain National Team
55 Sean Flynn (GBr) Great Britain National Team 0:05:17
56 Pawel Bernas (Pol) CCC Team 0:07:16
57 Jesper Asselman (Ned) Roompot-Charles
58 Jonathan Brown (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon
59 Harry Tanfield (GBr) Katusha-Alpecin
60 Michael Rice (Aus) Hagens Berman Axeon
61 Jacob Scott (GBr) Swiftcarbon Pro Cycling
62 Samuel Jenner (Aus) Team Wiggins Lecol
63 Nicholas Dlamini (RSA) Dimension Data
64 Rick Zabel (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
65 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data
66 Peter Williams (GBr) Swiftcarbon Pro Cycling
67 Joey Walker (GBr) Madison Genesis
68 Corentin Navarro (Fra) Team Wiggins Lecol
69 Andrew Tennant (GBr) Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes
70 Hector Saez Benito (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias
71 Torkil Veyhe (Den) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team 0:09:05
72 Gruffudd Lewis (GBr) Ribble Pro Cycling
73 Nathan Haas (Aus) Katusha-Alpecin
74 Filippo Fortin (Ita) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
75 Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Ineos 0:10:07
76 William Tidball (GBr) Great Britain National Team
77 Robert Scott (GBr) Team Wiggins Lecol
78 Stephen Bradbury (GBr) Swiftcarbon Pro Cycling
79 Richard Handley (GBr) Madison Genesis
80 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension Data
81 Isaac Mundy (GBr) Swiftcarbon Pro Cycling
82 Adam Kenway (GBr) Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK
83 Michael Mottram (GBr) Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK
84 Zeb Kyffin (GBr) Ribble Pro Cycling
85 Sergio Rodriguez Reche (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias
86 Christopher Latham (GBr) Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK
87 Maikel Zijlaard (Ned) Hagens Berman Axeon 0:11:04
88 Jan Willem van Schip (Ned) Roompot-Charles
89 Julen Irizar Laskurain (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias 0:12:04
90 Charley Calvert (GBr) Great Britain National Team 0:16:17
91 Yoann Bagot (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
92 Joseph Nally (GBr) Great Britain National Team
93 Jacob Tipper (GBr) Ribble Pro Cycling
DNF Adam De Vos (Can) Rally UHC Cycling
DNF Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) CCC Team
DNF John Murphy (USA) Rally UHC Cycling
DNF Daniel Bigham (GBr) Ribble Pro Cycling
DNF Leonardo Basso (Ita) Team Ineos
DNF Graham Briggs (GBr) Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK
DNF George Wood (GBr) Swiftcarbon Pro Cycling
DNF Robert-Jon McCarthy (Irl) Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes
DNF Jonathan McEvoy (GBr) Madison Genesis
DNF Boy van Poppel (Ned) Roompot-Charles
DNF Jacob Hennessy (GBr) Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes
DNF Mikkel Bjerg (Den) Hagens Berman Axeon
DNF Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
DNF Ian Bibby (GBr) Madison Genesis
DNF Ander Barrenetxea Uriarte (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias
DNS Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension Data

General Classification after Stage 4 :
1 Christopher Lawless (GBr) Team Ineos 15:18:12
2 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) CCC Team 0:00:02
3 Edward Dunbar (Irl) Team Ineos 0:00:11
4 Alexander Kamp (Den) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team 0:00:15
5 James Shaw (GBr) Swiftcarbon Pro Cycling 0:00:25
6 Matthew Holmes (GBr) Madison Genesis
7 Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Dimension Data
8 Scott Thwaites (GBr) Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK 0:00:28
9 Connor Swift (GBr) Madison Genesis
10 Nick van der Lijke (Ned) Roompot-Charles
11 Owain Doull (GBr) Team Ineos
12 Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
13 Chris Froome (GBr) Team Ineos
14 Michal Golas (Pol) Team Ineos
15 Mark Christian (GBr) Team Wiggins Lecol
16 Gabriel Cullaigh (GBr) Team Wiggins Lecol 0:02:11
17 Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
18 Andreas Nielsen (Den) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team 0:02:20
19 Nathan Van Hooydonck (Bel) CCC Team 0:02:42
20 Michael Schär (Swi) CCC Team
21 Kevin Vermaerke (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon 0:03:18
22 Romain Sicard (Fra) Total Direct Energie
23 Sean Quinn (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon 0:03:22
24 Steff Cras (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
25 Max Stedman (GBr) Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes
26 Paul Ourselin (Fra) Total Direct Energie
27 Sindre Skjøstad Lunke (Nor) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team
28 Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Roompot-Charles 0:03:33
29 Huub Duijn (Ned) Roompot-Charles
30 Robin Carpenter (USA) Rally UHC Cycling 0:04:03
31 Krister Hagen (Nor) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team 0:04:28
32 Emil Nygaard Vinjebo (Den) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team 0:04:30
33 Cyril Barthe (Fra) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias 0:04:31
34 Serge Pauwels (Bel) CCC Team 0:05:04
35 James Fouche (NZl) Team Wiggins Lecol 0:05:17
36 Ethan Hayter (GBr) Great Britain National Team 0:05:20
37 Lucas Eriksson (Swe) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team
38 Arnaud Courteille (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel 0:05:21
39 Thomas Stewart (GBr) Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes 0:06:22
40 Alex Luhrs (GBr) Ribble Pro Cycling 0:07:16
41 Emmanuel Morin (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:08:08
42 Scott Auld (GBr) Ribble Pro Cycling 0:09:08
43 Hector Saez Benito (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias 0:09:15
44 Jesper Asselman (Ned) Roompot-Charles 0:10:15
45 Fabien Grellier (Fra) Total Direct Energie 0:10:43
46 Jacob Scott (GBr) Swiftcarbon Pro Cycling 0:10:51
47 Nathan Haas (Aus) Katusha-Alpecin 0:11:04
48 Christopher Mcglinchey (Irl) Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK 0:12:28
49 Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Ineos 0:12:29
50 Tristan Robbins (GBr) Swiftcarbon Pro Cycling 0:12:31
51 Victor Lafay (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:12:37
52 Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Total Direct Energie 0:12:48
53 Isaac Mundy (GBr) Swiftcarbon Pro Cycling 0:13:17
54 Robert Scott (GBr) Team Wiggins Lecol 0:13:40
55 Michael Cuming (GBr) Madison Genesis 0:14:21
56 Daniel McLay (GBr) Great Britain National Team 0:14:22
57 Rasmus Tiller (Nor) Dimension Data 0:14:27
58 Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:14:32
59 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Total Direct Energie 0:15:02
60 Michael Rice (Aus) Hagens Berman Axeon 0:15:05
61 Andrew Tennant (GBr) Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes
62 Corentin Navarro (Fra) Team Wiggins Lecol
63 John Archibald (GBr) Ribble Pro Cycling 0:15:10
64 Samuel Jenner (Aus) Team Wiggins Lecol 0:15:24
65 Julen Irizar Laskurain (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias 0:16:21
66 Filippo Fortin (Ita) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:16:48
67 Rick Zabel (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin 0:17:10
68 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data 0:17:20
69 Harry Tanfield (GBr) Katusha-Alpecin 0:17:24
70 Michael Mottram (GBr) Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK 0:17:50
71 Jonathan Brown (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon 0:17:54
72 Jan Willem van Schip (Ned) Roompot-Charles 0:18:53
73 Joey Walker (GBr) Madison Genesis 0:19:06
74 Gruffudd Lewis (GBr) Ribble Pro Cycling 0:19:09
75 Nicholas Dlamini (RSA) Dimension Data 0:19:27
76 William Tidball (GBr) Great Britain National Team 0:20:11
77 Adam Kenway (GBr) Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK 0:20:15
78 Christopher Latham (GBr) Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK
79 Richard Handley (GBr) Madison Genesis 0:20:38
80 Peter Williams (GBr) Swiftcarbon Pro Cycling 0:21:03
81 Stephen Bradbury (GBr) Swiftcarbon Pro Cycling 0:21:21
82 Maikel Zijlaard (Ned) Hagens Berman Axeon 0:22:08
83 Pawel Bernas (Pol) CCC Team 0:22:43
84 Sean Flynn (GBr) Great Britain National Team 0:23:37
85 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension Data 0:23:44
86 Zeb Kyffin (GBr) Ribble Pro Cycling 0:23:51
87 Sergio Rodriguez Reche (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias 0:24:05
88 Charley Calvert (GBr) Great Britain National Team 0:26:21
89 Torkil Veyhe (Den) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team 0:27:44
90 Joseph Nally (GBr) Great Britain National Team 0:28:25
91 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel 0:30:10
92 Yoann Bagot (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel 0:30:15
93 Jacob Tipper (GBr) Ribble Pro Cycling 0:34:30