Stage 4 News
Van de Walle first to abandon Tour de France The Omega Pharma-Lotto team of stage 1 winner Philippe Gilbert is down one man as Jurgen Van de Walle became the first rider to abandon the 2011 Tour de France. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/van-de-walle-first-to-abandon-tour-de-france Evans masters Mûr de Bretagne Cadel Evans (BMC) burst through to win the stage to Mûr de Bretagne and cement his position as genuine contender for the Tour de France win. It was the Australian's second Tour stage win after he was retrospectively awarded the time trial stage 13 in the 2007 race. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/evans-masters-mur-de-bretagne Evans edges win over Contador Defending Tour de France champion Alberto Contador punched the air in celebration at the end of yesterday's fourth stage in Brittany — despite being beaten to victory. Spaniard Contador, racing despite being the subject of a Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing next month into his failed drugs test at last year's Tour, thought he had won the 172.5-kilometre route from Lorient to Mur-de-Bretagne, but Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) prevailed by a tyre's http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/other-sports/tour-de-france-evans-edges-win-over-contador-16019962.html Proud Hushovd pulls off performance of the day On a day when it was expected that the yellow jersey would slip from the shoulders of fast man Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervélo) to a climber like Cadel Evans (BMC), it was the world champion who pulled off the performance of the day at the Tour de France. Where many climbers and riders with general classification ambitions got dropped and lost time on the climb to the finish at Mûr-de-Bretagne, the strong Norwegian showed real grit to finish as part of a highly-rated group of nine riders who finished in the same time as the stage winner Evans. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/proud-hushovd-pulls-off-performance-of-the-day Evans hails BMC team-mates, Sky close gap on Garmin Cadel Evans, winner of one of the most eagerly anticipated stages of the 2011 Tour de France today on the Mur de Bretagne, has been singing the praises of his BMC Racing team mates for helping him get back to the bunch to contest the finale after suffering a mechanical problem. Meanwhile, Thor Hushovd has been reflecting on holding on to the yellow jersey, to the surprise of many, and Team Sky have been looking back on a day that ended with three of their riders in the top eight of the GC. Philippe Gilbert of Omega-Pharma Lotto, the team Evans left just weeks after winning the World Champioships in Mendrisio in 2009, had been installed as a strong Beaten Gilbert salutes victorious Evans Belgian Philippe Gilbert admitted he found the going just too tough on the climb to Mur-de-Bretagne, where Australian Cadel Evans won the Tour de France fourth stage on Tuesday. Hilly classics specialist Gilbert stuck to the form book on Saturday's stage one when he finished ahead of Evans on the Mont des Alouettes to take the victory and the race's yellow jersey. http://road.cc/content/news/38513-tour-de-france-stage-4-reaction-evans-hails-bmc-team-mates-sky-close-gap-garmin No odds too tough for Aussie Evans Two-time runner-up Cadel Evans of BMC held off a late charge from Alberto Contador to claim a prestigious victory on the fourth stage of the Tour de France Tuesday. Norwegian Thor Hushovd, tipped to lose the yellow jersey after the brutal two-kilometre finishing climb at the Mur de Bretagne, held on to the race lead after the 172.5 km ride from Lorient to here. http://www.hindustantimes.com/No-odds-too-tough-for-Aussie-Evans/Article1-717774.aspx Victoria's Hesjedal climbs ranks to 34th Victoria's Ryder Hesjedal continued his painstaking climb up the Tour de France standings and was 34th overall after Tuesday's fourth stage from Lorient to Mur-de-Bretagne. Hesjedal has moved up 62 spots after getting caught in the disastrous opening-stage crash Saturday that left him in a daunting hole at 96th. Cadel Evans of Australia outsprinted a group and nipped defending champion Alberto Contador of Spain at the wire to win the 172.5-kilometre fourth stage. http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Victoria+Hesjedal+climbs+ranks+34th/5056753/story.html Evans' uphill struggle shows credentials The veteran Australian Cadel Evans confirmed his excellent start to the Tour de France yesterday with a gutsy uphill victory against all of the main favourites. The two top overall contenders sprinting for a finish outside the mountains is a relatively rare sight in the Tour, but Evans squeaked across the line on the agonisingly steep Mûr-de-Bretagne climb just millimetres ahead of Alberto Contador. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/tour-de-france-evans-uphill-struggle-shows-credentials-2307433.html Evans holds off Contador to take fourth stage Australian Cadel Evans made it clear he was one of the riders to reckon with in this Tour de France when he won the 172.5-km fourth stage in the fist serious climb of this edition in Mur de Bretagne on Tuesday. http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Tour+France+Evans+holds+Contador+take+fourth+stage/5052822/story.html Contador's Inconvenient Talent Contador's Tour isn't off to a crackling start. An opening-day pileup put him more than a minute behind his rivals and he was nipped at the line during Tuesday's stage by Australian Cadel Evans. But if he climbs back into the mix in the mountains, as he's more than capable of doing, the cycling world needs to prepare for an awkward possibility: This guy could become the greatest stage racer of all time. At 28, Contador is still young by Tour de France standards. He could conceivably keep winning into his mid-30s, which would allow him to win the five more titles he'd need to break Lance Armstrong's record of seven. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304760604576428373809422588.html?mod=googlenews_wsj Evans Beats Out Contador in Photo-Finish to Win Tour de France Stage Four Evans, an Australian with BMC Racing, overcame a late challenge from Contador on a four-mile ascent at the end of the 107-mile stage between Lorient and Mur-de-Bretagne. Thor Hushovd of Norway kept the race-leading yellow jersey, staying one second ahead of Evans. “I’ve worn yellow before and that’s a wonderful experience, but it can wait,†Evans told Eurosport. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-05/cadel-evans-beats-out-alberto-contador-attack-to-win-tour-de-france-stage.html Evans holds off Contador in thrilling finale Cadel Evans of BMC Racing just edged out defending champion Alberto Contador to win Stage 4 of the 2011 Tour de France on the Mur de Bretagne this afternoon, with Astana's Alexander Vinokourov third. Birthday boy Philippe Gilbert missed out on celebrating turning 29 in style with the win he had widely been predicted to get, while Thor Hushovd retains the race leader's yellow jersey. http://road.cc/content/news/38508-tour-de-france-stage-4-evans-holds-contador-thrilling-finale Gesink content despite loss of time Several contenders for the podium in Paris lost time during the fourth stage of the Tour de France on Tuesday afternoon. Among them was Robert Gesink (Rabobank) who carries the hopes of Dutch cycling fans, and he now trails race leader Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervélo) by twenty seconds. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gesink-content-despite-loss-of-time Green jersey not a goal yet for Gilbert, Omega DS says Philippe Gilbert lost the lead of the points ranking on Tour de France's stage 3 to Redon, but looks in a perfect position to take it again today at the top of Mûr-de-Bretagne. However, Omega Pharma-Lotto is not going to take all of the responsibility during the stage. "I don't think we have to take the whole pressure," directeur sportif Herman Frison told Cyclingnews yesterday after the finish in Redon. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/green-jersey-not-a-goal-yet-for-gilbert-omega-ds-says Martin satisfied with Tour de France standing The German powerhouse finished 8 seconds behind stage winner Cadel Evans (BMC) and several key GC rivals, but came over the line in a group containing Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek), Chris Horner (RadioShack) and Robert Gesink (Rabobank). After four days of racing he sits 13 seconds off the yellow jersey but in the running for a possible top ten placing in Paris. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/martin-satisfied-with-tour-de-france-standing
Crash marks start of Tour de France stage four The dual Tour runner-up is tucked safely in behind the head of the peloton as it winds its way from Lorient to Mur-de Bretagne over greasy roads in heavy rain. With Evans and Belgian star Philippe Gilbert expected to figure in the sharp uphill finish over "The Wall" - a 2km monster with gradients of up to 15 percent - the Australian is poised to overtake race leader Thor Hushovd. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/tour-de-france/crash-marks-tour-stage-start/story-fn8s9i81-1226062095558
Team Evans is careful to curb its enthusiasm about Tour chances With an excellent team time trial on Sunday, Evans charged into prime position to take the race lead in the fourth stage. But, wisely, his BMC team was careful not to talk about the Australian winning the Tour after he moved within one second of the overall race lead, thanks to the team placing second in the stage-two 23-kilometre team time trial at Les Essarts at four seconds to Garmin-Cervelo, whose Norwegian world champion Thor Hushovd took the yellow jersey from the Belgian champion and stage one winner Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto). http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cycling/team-evans-is-careful-to-curb-its-enthusiasm-about-tour-chances-20110704-1gz51.html Hesjedal continues to close gap Not only did Hesjedal play a key role Sunday in helping Garmin-Cervelo win the team time trial at the 2011 Tour de France, but he personally rocketed 35 placings from 96th to 61st after getting caught up in Saturday's disastrous opening-stage crash. http://www.timescolonist.com/life/Hesjedal+continues+close/5050517/story.html Gilbert targets Mûr-de-Bretagne, Evans yellow King of the Classics Philippe Gilbert, who turns 29 years today, had promised his girlfriend a stage victory for her 22nd birthday on the Tour's first stage on Saturday - and got it. Today, the Omega Pharma-Lotto leader again has reason to celebrate, and hopes to top his party off with a second success on the Mûr-de-Bretagne. Arguably, he is the man to beat on the 172km stage finishing with a 2km climb similar to those the Belgian knows so well in his home region of the Ardennes. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gilbert-targets-mur-de-bretagne-evans-yellow Green jersey not a goal yet for Gilbert, Omega DS says Philippe Gilbert lost the lead of the points ranking on stage three to Redon, but looks in a perfect position to take it again today at the top of Mûr-de-Bretagne. However, Omega Pharma-Lotto is not going to take all of the responsibility during the stage. "I don't think we have to take the whole pressure," directeur sportif Herman Frison told Cyclingnews yesterday after the finish in Redon. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/green-jersey-not-a-goal-yet-for-gilbert-omega-ds-says Belgian becomes 1st rider to quit Tour Belgium's Jurgen Van de Walle has become the first rider to drop out of this year's Tour de France. The Omega Pharma-Lotto team says Van de Walle pulled out on Tuesday during the 172.5-kilometer (107-mile) Stage 4 from Lorient to Mur-de-Bretagne in western France because of lingering pain from a crash. http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=1644270 Evans poised to take yellow for seventh time in career Evans stayed out of trouble in the hectic finale, won by Garmin-Cervélo's Tyler Farrar, but the Australian could count himself lucky after George Hincapie and Manuel Quinziato were caught up in a crash with around 25 kilometres remaining in the 198 kilometre stage. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/evans-poised-to-take-yellow-for-seventh-time-in-career Christian Vande Velde puts decade-old disappointment behind him after TTT win At the 2001 Tour, the 25-year-old Vande Velde was a support rider for two-time defending champion Lance Armstrong on the U.S. Postal Service team. Jonathan Vaughters and Thor Hushovd, a newly minted 23-year-old pro from Norway built like a brick barracks, rode in the green-and-white kits of a team sponsored by a French bank, Credit Agricole. Vande Velde, the son of a track cycling Olympian from Chicago, had been part of Armstrong's inaugural Tour win in 1999. Vaughters, a slender, bespectacled Colorado-bred climbing specialist whose father was a lawyer, had previously been Vande Velde's Postal teammate and roommate in Girona, Spain. http://espn.go.com/blog/olympics/post/_/id/978/christian-vande-velde-puts-decade-old-disappointment-behind-him-after-ttt-win
