Molmy wins stage after Dumoulin relegated

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Despite being the second rider across the line Arnaud Molmy (Team Roubaix-Lille Métropole) was awarded the stage win and overall lead at the Etoile de Bessèges on Saturday afternoon.

Having ended Borut Bozic's (Vacansoleil) two-stage run on Friday, Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis) was again the first rider to edge his wheel past the finish but was denied his own double as he was relegated for cutting the course within the final kilometre of Saturday's stage four.

The race jury upheld a protest from Team Roubaix-Lille Métropole that Dumoulin, who crossed the line 20 metres clear of Molmy, had cut short his approach to the final straight.

The subsequent decision saw Molmy installed as stage winner, with Anthony Geslin (Française des Jeux) promoted to second and Belgian Pieter Ghyllebert (An Post-Sean Kelly) to third.

In a further blow to Dumoulin, Molmy also inherited the overall race lead from Borut Bozic, who had started the day with a 16 second advantage over Niko Eeckhout (An Post - Sean Kelly) and the two Frenchman.

Early break brought back

The early kilometres of the stage were marked by a 12-man break who, while given some leeway by the peloton, were never afforded more than a rapidly gained four minute advantage.

The break included: Frederick Veuchelen (Vacansoleil), Pierre Rolland (Bbox Bouygues Telecom), Yoann Offredo (French Games), John-Lee Augustyn (Sky) Rene Mandri (AG2R La Mondiale) Thierry Hupond (Skil-Shimano), Thomas De Gendt (Mercator-Topsport Vlaanderen), Remi Cusin (Cofidis), Yanninck Talabardon (Saur-Sojasun), Jean-Luc Delpech (Bretagne-Schuller) Mark McNally (An Post-Sean Kelly) and Edward King (Cervélo).

After 30 kilometres of freedom, the group's advantage began to quickly melt away as the race ascended the Col de la Baraque.

Ladagnous the sole survivor

Eventual fourth place-getter Ladagnous would become the closest of a subsequent five-man breakaway group to walk away from the stage with any reward.

Along with Nicolas Roche (Ag2r La Mondiale), the young Frenchman had gone in pursuit of an three-man escape that formed after 80 kilometres of the day's stage. The duo worked hard to get back on terms with Pierrick Fédrigo (Bbox Bouygues Telecom), Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil) and Jonathan Hivert (Saur-Sojasun).

In spite of the pedigree within the quintet, their lead over the peloton was always tenuous, never extending far beyond 45 seconds. With 27 kilometres to ride that advantage had dropped to 30 seconds, and with 10 kilometres remaining the gap had halved once more.

With 3000 metres to race, the breakaway had been swallowed up and a fourth successive sprint appeared on the cards. Once again, it was Dumoulin who appeared the wiliest within the final kilometre as he crossed the line clear of his nearest competitor.

However, the race jury decided that the Frenchman's significant advantage in the finale had ill gotten through deviation from the race course followed by the remainder of the field and awarded victory to Molmy and boosted Geslin into second.