BinckBank Tour: Stuyven wins stage 4 in Ardooie

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Another win for a breakaway opportunist, and another missed chance for the sprinters, after a late attack from Jasper Stuyven (Trek Segafredo) saw the Belgian rider claim stage 4 of the BinckBank Tour.

The Trek rider attacked with just over 1km to go after an excellent set-up from his teammates. The 26-year-old quickly established a gap and despite a frantic chase from the bunch was able to hang on and take the win with Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott) taking second and Zdenek Stybar (Quick-Step Floors) taking third.

The decisive moment came with 1.8km to go. Trek Segafredo, without a pure sprinter in the race, hit the front and drove the pace with Mätthias Brandle, and Ryan Mullen hitting the front. They led through a 90-degree corner with Stuyven assuming the lead as the Irishman pulled up. Mads Pedersen - who had been on Stuyven's wheel - then eased off, allowing his teammate to create a 100m gap as he accelerated through the final turn. That was all the Belgian needed to take his first win since last year's race. Mitchelton-Scott threw everything at a last-ditch chase but Stuyven hung on to take a well-deserved victory.

In the overall standings, Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Merida) extended his lead by two seconds. He responded when second-placed Sean De Bie (Veranda's Willems Crelan) looked to take time during the Golden Kilometre, and the overnight leader now heads the race by three seconds ahead of stage 5. Stefan Kung (BMC Racing) remains at 22 seconds and in third overall.

How it unfolded

The stage saw a break go clear in the opening kilometres, but a chase and the promise of crosswinds saw the peloton reform with under 100km of racing to go. A second move eventually broke free with the Pro Continental teams once more on the charge.

Nick van der Lijke (Roompot-Dutch Lottery), Dries De Bondt (Verandas Willems-Crelan), Alex Kirsch (WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic) and Edward Planckaert (Sport Flanders-Baloise) quickly established a minute advantage. However, the bunch were eager not to repeat the antics of stage 3, in which they squandered the chance to set up a bunch sprint. This time the move was nullified with just over 32km to go, although Kirsch put in one final turn as the race began the first of two finishing circuits.

The fight for the general classification came into play during the race's Golden Kilometre, with De Bie looking to overturn Mohoric's slender overnight lead. The Belgian took the first sprint but was countered as the Bahrain rider claimed the second. At the third and final sprint, Michael Matthews took the honours before a brief lull as the sprinters' teams began to move up.

"In the golden kilometre I managed to win one sprint to keep the leader's jersey, so our goal was complete. Then I tried to do the sprint at the finish but went a bit early and couldn't hang on for top ten place. But it was important not to crash and tomorrow is a new day," Mohoric said at the line.

In the closing kilometre, EF Education First-Drapac set a rider up the road but the move was quickly brought back before Michael Valgren accelerated with 9km to go. The Dane was jumped on by Chris Juul Jensen, who duly marked the attacked for Ewan, and with 7km to go the bunch was once more riding as one unit.

Trek-Segafredo then took control. They play was as clinical as it was impressive, with Katusha-Alpecin and a number of other sprint teams unable to keep their trains together inside the closing stages. Only Wanty and Mitchelton were in contention as the race rounded the final corner but by then, Stuyven had done enough to cap an excellent team performance with a stage win.

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