Daeninck scores a win in pursuiter style

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Frenchman Benoît Daeninck from Roubaix-Lille-Métropole won in Saint-Gildas-des-Bois ahead of Pieter Serry (Jong Vlaanderen) and Armindo Fonseca (Côtes d'Armor) while Rabobank's Jetse Bol maintained his lead on GC over Breton prospect Johan Le Bon. In contrast to what many had anticipated, the flattest stage of the Tour de Bretagne did not end with a massive bunch gallop, but with three riders in a breakaway off the front.

After a fast start, when the riders left the coastal town of Saint-Malo and covered more than 46 kilometres in the first hours, a trio escaped off the front including Kevin Cherruault (U Nantes-Atlantique), Peter Williams (Great Britain) and Quentin Santy (CC Nogent-sur-Oise). They got and advantage of six minutes until the respective teams of Bol and Le Bon took care of the chase.

"My directeur sportif wanted the riders from Roubaix to take turns in the chase, too, but I refused because we don't defend a 10th place," Daeninck explained. The team's Renaud Dion (Roubaix Lille Metropole) had started the stage in 10th overall.

Soon after the trio was caught on the final circuit of Saint-Gildas-des-Bois, another group of three went off the front with with Daeninck, Serry and Fonseca. That was with 8km to go. They stayed away, and Daeninck accelerated so far away from the finishing line that he put his arms up in the air for the last 100 metres to show his happiness to the crowd in the Loire-Atlantique province.

Daeninck has a track background. He represented France at the World Championships in Ballerup, Denmark, last month after winning the GP of Lillers in March. In a pursuiter-style effort, he rode the finale without giving any chance to his adversaries.

"I was a bit sick when I came to this race," he said by way of explaining that he is not targeting the GC at the Tour de Bretagne. "Last year, this was the only stage race in which I didn't win a stage, I finished second and fifth, but I wanted to win this year," said the policeman who took a year off from work to ride as a pro for Roubaix-Lille-Métropole at the age of 28. The team, managed by Cyrille Guimard, has enjoyed a successful first part of the 2010 season.

"That was a stage with no problems," said race leader Bol. "We had to chase, but I had good legs after the time trial and the transfer back to the continent. I'm happy with the outcome so far."

GC contenders are riding with stage 5 in mind. It will take the battle to the centre of Brittany.

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