Samuel Leroux celebrates at finish line as stage winner at 54th Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)
The stage 4 breakaway of Samuel Leroux, Leo Danes, Jonas Iversby Hvideberg, Dries De Bondt and Stefan Bissegger at Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)
The stage 4 breakaway of Samuel Leroux, Leo Danes, Jonas Iversby Hvideberg, Dries De Bondt and Stefan Bissegger at Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)
The stage 4 breakaway of Samuel Leroux, Leo Danes, Jonas Iversby Hvideberg, Dries De Bondt and Stefan Bissegger at Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)
A general view of the peloton passing through a bridge during the 54th Etoile de Besseges(Image credit: Getty Images)
A general view of the peloton competing during stage 4 at Etoile de Besseges(Image credit: Getty Images)
Point leader Benoit Cosnefroy assisted by the team car during stage 4 at Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)
Tim Declercq leads the peloton during stage 4 at Etoile de Besseges(Image credit: Getty Images)
Stefan Bissegger and Dries De Bondt compete in the breakaway during stage 4 at the Etoile de Besseges(Image credit: Getty Images)
Simon Carr attacks during stage 4 at Etoile de Besseges(Image credit: Getty Images)
Valentin Retailleau attacks during stage 4 at Etoile de Besseges(Image credit: Getty Images)
Mads Pedersen of Denmark and Team Lidl-Trek wears the orange leader's Jersey on stage 4 at Etoile de Besseges(Image credit: Getty Images)
Samuel Leroux leads the break during stage 4 at 54th Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)
Samuel Leroux cross the finish line to win the the fourth stage of the 54nd Etoile de Besseges(Image credit: Getty Images)
French rider Samuel Leroux celebrates on the podium after winning the fourth stage of the 54nd Etoile de Besseges(Image credit: Getty Images)
Samuel Leroux surprised the big-name riders and overall contenders at the Etoile de Bessèges, winning stage 4 to Méjannes-le-Clap from the early break of the day.
The Van Rysel–Roubaix rider dug deep on the climb to the finish to close a gap, hold off the peloton and win the four-rider sprint.
Leroux beat Dries De Bondt (Decathlon Ag2r), Stefan Bissegger (EF Education-EasyPost) Jonas Hvideberg and Jonas Iversby Hvideberg (both Uno-X Mobility).
Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility) won the sprint behind for fifth place, just two seconds down on a tired but happy Leroux.
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) finished in the chase group and so retained the overall race lead, with just Sunday’s 10.6km individual time trial around Alès to race. He leads Axel Laurance (Alpecin-Deceuninck) by just six seconds, with eight other riders within 28 seconds.
Stephen is one of the most experienced members of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. Before becoming Editor-at-large, he was Head of News at Cyclingnews. He has previously worked for Shift Active Media, Reuters and Cycling Weekly. He is a member of the Board of the Association Internationale des Journalistes du Cyclisme (AIJC).
