Tour Down Under 2017: Stage 4

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January 1 - January 22, Norwood, South Australia, Road - WorldTour

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Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Tour Down Under stage 4, a 149.5km road race from Norwood to Campbelltown.

 

Today's stage starts in just under 45 minutes. Riders will take off from Norwood at 11:30 local time and eventually make their way to the finish in Campbelltown. The start and finish are very close as the crow flies, but the peloton will take the "scenic" route to get there.

Stage 4 Map

Stage 4 Profile

Today's star once again features one KOM and two iiNET intermediate sprints.

Looking back to yesterday's third stage, Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott) took his second stage win of the race. Check out the top 10 from stage 3.

Stage 2 winner Richie Porte (BMC Racing) continues to lead the general classification:

Jersey leaders after stage 3:

Today's stage is about to start. Riders will have an 8km neutral roll out before the flag drops

Rider have started out on their 8km neutral. 

While the riders loosen up their legs with a neutral tool out, let's look at some of today's news.

Belgian cycling federation president Tom Van Damme is in Australia for the Tour Down Under, and people have been talking about a possible run for UCI president. Cyclingnews editor Daniel Benson asked Van Damme about the rumours. Read more HERE.

 

The Tour de San Luis is gone, but the Vuelta a San Juan will take place in Argentina January 23-29. Read our preview of the race HERE.

Lance Armstrong is back in the news after it was announced he and several teammates will compete in the Old Pueblo 24-hour mountain bike race. Read more about it HERE.

Trek-Segafredo's Edward Theuns broke his back in a nasty crash at the Tour de France last July. Now he's jumped back into competition at the Tour Down Under and has two top 10 finishes. Read about Theun's comeback HERE.

The race has started and the peloton is all together. Attacks have started.

While the riders are sorting out who will make the escape today, you can take a look at this article about Chris Froome's favourite climbs.

144km remaining from 149km

Will Clarke (Cannondale-Drapac) and Francois Bidard (Ag2R) are in pursuit.

The three up front have 12 seconds, but the two chasers have been caught.

The race is all back together in the front, but several riders are struggling off the back. Those riders are  Tyler Farrar (Dimension Data), Will Clarke (Cannondale-Drapac), Peter Stetina (Trek-Segafredo) and Michael Kolar (Bora-Hansgrohe)

The Ansteys Hill is putting a few riders in trouble.

Ondrej Cink (Bahrain-Merida), Jack Bauer (Quick-Step Floors) and Cam Meyer (UniSA-Australia) have a small gap.

Cink, Bauer and Meyer have a 27-second gap

The gap has grown to 45 seconds. This could be the move of the day.

131km remaining from 149km

The gap has grown to 1:30 as the leaders approach the KOM on Checker Hill Road at 25.1km

Cink, who started the day 57 seconds down on race leader Richie Porte, is now the virtual leader on the road.

Cink has jumped away in search of KOM points. The former mountain biker was also in the breakaway on the opening day.

Some action from Thomas De Gendt and Esteban Chaves between before the KOM.

KOM points go back four places, so they're angling for anything left after the breakaway riders get the first three spots.

123km remaining from 149km

Next up, the first intermediate sprint of the day in Birdwood at 37.5km

KOM results:

Sprint 1 results:

The peloton appears to be feeling stingy today, as the gap to the three leaders is down to 2:10.

The gap is down to 2 minutes. Having a rider just 57 seconds down in a breakaway with two motivated and veteran riders makes this move dangerous.

104km remaining from 149km

Cink is a 27-year-old Czeck rider who came to road racing from mountain biking. This is his first year of pro road racing.

New time gap: 1:25. The trend continues

Australian Nathan Haas is laying it all o the line this year at the Tour Down Under. he's currently fifth overall and says today could be his best chance for a stage win. You can read more about Haas at this year's race HERE.

99km remaining from 149km

88km remaining from 149km

Jay McCarthy (Bora-Hansgrohe) is currently 4th overall, 24 seconds behind Porte. The ambitious 24-year-old Australian has his sights set on the final overall podium. Read more about McCarthy HERE.

As you'd expect, BMC riders are on the front of the peloton keeping this dangerous move in check for Richie Porte. The gap has been at 1:45 for a spell now.

Movistar's Alejandro Valevrde conformed today that he'll ride both the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana in 2017. Read about Valverde's plans HERE.

South Australia has put in a bid to host the 2020 World Championships in Adelaide, and Tour Down Under Race Director Mike Turtur said he would consider a role in organising the event once further information emerges. Read more HERE.

The gap is holding around 1:30. The long, fast downhill run to the finish in Campbelltown could be motivating the peloton to keep the escapees close. They don't want t give them too much leash as the downhill will negate some of the peloton's advantage

22-year-old Caleb Ewan has already won two stages at the Tour Down Under. How many more can he add? He spoke with TV this morning before the start.

The peloton is going through the feed zone now. The breakaway has already been and the riders are eating and drinking.

The leaders are heading into  strong wind as they approach the second intermediate sprint. Gap is still at 1:30

58km remaining from 149km

Sprint 2 results:

55km remaining from 149km

Jack Bauer has attacked the group. Meyer responds but Cink is gone, possibly for good.

Cink is already back in the peloton, while Bauer and Meyer maintain their 1:30 lead

BMC riders just stormed past Cink. 

There are two strong veteran riders left out front now. Meyer and Bauer, the New Zealand TT champ, appear to be working well together. They have a word with each other and seem to confirm their temporary pact as they immediately get back to work.

A group of three riders has jumped out of the peloton and is in no-man's land.

The trio chasing are Lars Bak (Lotto Soudal), Will Clarke (Cannondale-Drapac) and Michael Valgren (Astana)

48km remaining from 149km

Clarke is rolling again, but his day out front appears to be done.

Two leaders are now chased by two riders, with the peloton 1:25 back. It's not clear how far back the two chasers are from the leaders

The gap between the two groups out front is now 25 seconds. They could be linking up soon.

Bak is now the best-placed breakaway rider at 45th, 1:20 down. He's not quite the virtual leader yet.

The race is reporting that both Bauer and Meyer will be awarded the most combative rider prize today.

44km remaining from 149km

Bak and Valgren have faded back into the peloton, while the gap for Meyer and Bauer appears to be less than a minute

The stage will end with a fast descent into Campbelltown for a slightly uphill finish. Is this the day Peter Sagan gets his first win of 2017?

32km remaining from 149km

Scratch that. Bauer is alone. Meyer has been dropped. It's not clear if there was a mechanical problem or if he decided to give up the ghost. 

Orica are on the front of the peloton now, and it's single file with riders struggling on the back. Luke Durbridge is doing the damage.

 The two leaders continue to plough along but the bunch continue to have the measure of them. BMC did the lion share of the work early on but a number of sprint teams have started to move up as the bunch lines out. 

It's just Bauer out there now though and he has 45 seconds with 25 km to go.

Bauer of course is racing on a new team this year and he's looking to impress his Belgium squad. Dimension Data are leading the bunch now but Bauer is still holding that lead of 45 seconds. 

22km remaining from 149km

How much firepower does Bauer have left? On paper he has little chance at this stage but you never know... As BMC lead Porte towards the front in order to keep him out of trouble. It looks like Dimension Data are working for Renshaw today. 

Another KM ticks by and the gap remains at 45 seconds. Bauser drives down a short descent and from the decent arial view we have from the CN blimp that gap isn't 45 seconds, it's a lot less. 

The race is hotting up now as Bauer looks to just minimise the damage on another rolling section of the course. He's throwing the bike through each corner, fatigue is surely starting to take a toll. Bauer though knows a few things about winning from the break. He won a thrilling stage of the Tour of Britain last September. He hung on by just a matter of a few feet that time. 

Here come Sky, as they muscle towards the front of the peloton to join BMC and Dimension Data. The gap to Bauer is now at 33 seconds. The QuickStep rider is having a fantastic day out there and he's making the bunch work.

I have to say this is a perfect scenario for Porte. He can enjoy other teams lining out the bunch as BMC simply have to keep the race leader safe and sound. The Tour de France contender is ticking off another stage here at the Tour Down Under.

Bauer is full gas, positioning himself right on the edge of the saddle. He's looking for every watt he can find in that 'suitcase of courage'. TM Paul Sherwin.

Bauer is climbing again and with 19km to go the bunch is about 15 seconds off the Quick Step Floors rider. Will Patrick Lefevere be waking up this morning to find his team with another win? 

17km remaining from 149km

Bauer has 20 seconds still as Orica move up, Ewan second wheel and they'll be looking to perhaps set up Gerrans for the sprint today. Haas is up there a well. 

12 seconds now as Bauer hits 80kpm on the descent. Dimension Data again wrestle control at the front of the peloton. 10 seconds now.

10km remaining from 149km

Into the final 7km and the bunch are about to make the catch. 

6km and he's still leading. He looks back though and he can hear the peloton coming. 

Van Poppel is at the back of the Sky train as they move up. Bora are trying to organise their effort too as we head into the final 5000m. Bauer is still out there and giving it everything as he takes another tight corner. 

And with 4km to go it's all over for Bauer. He's sat up.

And Cannondale take a march and hit the front as they look to make sure Woods is well positioned before the finish. Porte is where he needs to be as well. 

This left hand turn is crucial. Ewan is coming up with Impey. 

Sagan is there to as we head towards the sprint finish.

1km to go.

Orica on the front as Klugge takes it up

There's an attack from Bora.

The road now kicks up as Van Poppel comes up.

He leads out.

Ewan is on his wheel. 

Ewan comes out of the Sky rider's wheel and he's level. He's level.

Ewan takes it. Another win for the Orica Scott rider. 

Sagan was fighting to come back there but he lost Ewan's wheel and takes second on the line. Van Poppel is third, Ben Swift is fourth and Haas fifth.

Here's the top ten from today's stage

Van Poppel was on course there after a better leadout from Team Sky but with Ewan on his wheel the writing was on the wall. Sagan close again, just lost Ewan in the final stages and left himself with too much to do.

General Classification after stage 4
1 Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team 14:20:12
2 Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-Scott 00:00:22
3 Jay McCarhty (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe 00:00:24
4 Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data 00:00:27
5 Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team 00:00:29
6 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team 00:00:29
7 Diego Ulissi (Ita) Team UAE Abu Dhabi 00:00:29
8 Rafael Valls (Spa) Lotto Soudal 00:00:29
9 R˙ben Guerreiro (Por) Trek-Segafredo 00:00:29
10 Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 00:00:29

As you can see from the top ten there, Gorka Izagirre isn't there. We're not sure if he stopped during the stage or just lost contact in the final few kilometres. What it means though is that Chaves is up to second overall, 22 seconds off Porte's lead. 

You can find our brief report, results and photos, RIGHT HERE.

No DNFs yet from the race organisers but not all of the results are available yet. No news on Gorka Izagirre just yet but his GC ambitions look over if these provisional results are to be believed. 

A reminder of the top ten for today's stage as Porte and Ewan head for today's podium. 

That's Ewan's fifth TDU stage win in two years. Impressive tally for the 22-year-old.

"It was ok. I think the strongest won. It was a hard finish and I was maybe more patient than yesterday. I was screaming at Luke [Rowe] to go, but in the end he went much later and it was better for me with the uphill finish. With 200m to go I went and two people came across me. I think it's no shame to be third behind those two names," Van Poppel said at the finish.

Bauer, who was in the break for most of the day has spoken at the finish:

New and corrected top ten with Izagirre back in at second on GC.

Ewan has just been asked if he wants to be the best sprinter in the world:

Race leader, Richie Porte, has spoken at the finish:

We will leave it there for today. You can find our report, results, images and quotes, RIGHT HERE.

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