Elmiger captures a stage win in Cassel

Martin Elmiger (Ag2R-La Mondiale) claimed a hard-fought victory in the fourth stage of the 4 Days of Dunkirk on Saturday, ahead of Rui Costa (Caisse d'Epargne) and Cédric Pineau (Roubaix Lille Metropole).

The Swiss also took over the general classification after overnight leader Alex Rasmussen (Saxo Bank) abandoned early in the stage. The hilly circuit of stage four also removed most of the sprinters from the top-ten for the first time in the race. Costa assumed second place overall, while Pineau sits in third.

Elmiger's stage victory came after he finally broke the back of his late-race escape group with a series of attacks inside the final five kilometres. Costa emerged from a chase group to close to within 50 metres of the Ag2R-La Mondiale rider, but he'd left his run too late as Elmiger held on to take his first victory in 24 months.

"It was a really exhausting race, very hard and sometimes dangerous passages on the wet cobblestones," said Elmiger afterwards. "I'm really happy to get this win because I was not at the top of my form today. I rode with the lead group but I did not feel I would win. I tried to ride strongly over the last climb and a moment later I couldn't seen anyone on my wheel! It's a great victory for the whole team. "

Damp day sees a big departure

Rain remained a persistent threat throughout the 181.3 kilometre stage, which linked the towns of Merville and Cassel, before a ten-lap closing circuit took the peloton through the hilly area around the latter village in northern France.

It had taken 65 kilometres for a decisive break to get away. Jerome Coppel (Saur-Sojasun) had attacked shortly after the first hour of racing. The Frenchman collected top points at the first climb of the day, but was soon joined group of ten riders. Meanwhile, overnight race leader, Alex Rasmussen (Saxo Bank) appeared satisfied with his two stage wins as he abandoned the race.

After bridging to Coppel the ten soon left him behind behind, with Drujon Mathieu and Imanol Erviti (both Caisse d'Epargne), Benoit Vaugrenard (Francaise des Jeux), Reuben Perez (Euskaltel - Euskadi), Vincent Jerome (BBox Bouygues Telecom), Roman Zingl (Cofidis), Sep Vanmarcke (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator), Laurent Mangel (Saur - Sojasun), Steven Tronet (Roubaix Lille Metropole), Romain Lemarchand (Big Mat - Auber 93) and Sébastien Duret (Brittany - Schuller) the men to assume the head of the race.

As the race closed in on the next mountain point, the group was whittled down to just three riders: Erviti, Vanmarcke and Jerome. Behind them Clement Lhotellerie (Roubaix Lille Metropole) was working his way across from the peloton.

The leaders stretched their advantage to 1:45, as Vanmarcke set about securing as many mountains points as possible. Lhotellerie eventually joined the leaders to form a four-man group, but his arrival couldn’t prevent the erosion that was occurring to the group's time gap back to the peloton.

The peloton continued to put pressure on the leaders, and by the time the race headed through the finish for the third last time, with 30 kilometres to go, the break had been annulled.

Despite his return to the peloton Erviti wasn't finished, as he shot of the front of the peloton before being joined by Anthony Geslin (Francaise des Jeux), Jose Joaquin Rojas (Caisse d'Epargne), Martin Elmiger (Ag2R-La Mondiale), Franck Bouyer (Bbox Bouygues Telecom), Sebastian Minard (Cofidis) and Didac Ortega (Acqua & Sapone).

With the overall race lead up for grabs, the race fractured under a constant spate of attacks. As a semblance of order returned, Vacansoleil took control of the peloton and set to work chipping away at the 33 second gap the leaders had carved out, with just 10 kilometres to go.

An attack Vacansoleil on the climb of Avenue Achille Samyn again tore the main pack to shreds, but also succeeded in dropping the gap to just 13 seconds, as a group of seven riders established the chase group. At the head of this second group Gerald Ciolek (Milram) put in a spirited attack before allowing his companions to close the remaining distance.

Ahead, Ortega put a little too much pressure on his front brake as he slid out, removing himself and Minard from the lead group. Bouyer also departed soon afterwards to leave just Erviti, Rojas, Elmiger and Geslin out in front with five kilometres to go.

The numeric advantage of the Caisse d'Epargne gave them the luxury of launching a series of attacks on their rivals. With four kilometres to go however, Elmiger tested the waters for himself. The Swiss' move was shut down quickly as the chase group closed to within ten seconds.

Elmiger went again, using the cobbled approach to the final two kilometres to open a 100 metre advantage. By the time he had reached the flamme rouge, Rui Costa (Caisse d'Epargne) had emerged from the chase group as the only man who could threaten his hopes of stage victory.

But the Portuguese fell 50 metres short of his prey as Elmiger lifted a weary fist from his handlebars to salute his victory.