Tour de Pologne 2013: Stage 4
January 1 - August 3, Tarnów, POL, Road - WorldTour
Hello and welcome to the Cyclingnews live coverage of stage four of the Tour of Poland. The 231.5km stage is from Tarnów to Katowice.
We join the stage inside the final 90km of racing. Fortunately for the riders, the weather has cooled with cloudy skies.
The break of the day includes nine riders and formed early, with the peloton letting the move go clear before setting a controlling tempo behind.
Today's stage finishes with four 12.3km circuits of Katowice. A sprint finish is widely expected.
The riders in the breakaway are: Miguel Minguez Ayala (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Dirk Bellemakers (Lotto Belisol) Matthieu Ladagnous (FDJ.fr) Cesare Benedetti (NetApp-Endura), Fabio Duarte (Colombia), Jacek Morajko (CCC Polsat), Kamil Gradek (Poland), Pawel Franczek (Poland).
There is lead reached 4:40 mid-stage but is now down to 2:50.
The break is going through the feed zone and grabbing their musette bags.
Behind a mix of teams are leading the chase, including Garmin-Sharp, Saxo-Tinkoff and, Belkin and BMC.
57km remaining from 231km
There is 57km to go now, with the roads slightly wet after a rain shower.
The breakaway is about to begin the four finishing circuits. Each one is 12.3km long. Watch out for the inflatables guys!
On Tuesday Thor Hushovd (BMC) got his season back on track with an impressive sprint win.
Check out the full report and photo gallery from the stage here:
This is a great shot of Hushovd winning the sprint.
Here comes the peloton. The gap is down to 1:22 now.
The peloton has eased off the chase, perhaps worried about catching the break too soon.
43km remaining from 231km
The eight breakaways are still working together but must know they are condemned to being caught after spending almost 200km in the breakaway.
The break has upped the pace as they pass through the finish. They have 3 laps of the 12.3km circuit to go.
However the gap is coming down as the peloton gradually ups the chase. The gap is 1:18.
The sky look threatening but the sun is also out. Will the riders get wet in the finale?
30km remaining from 231km
Mark Renshaw (Belkin) was disappointed to finished second on Tuesday behind Hushovd. His teammates will no doubt be riding for him today.
In the break the Polish riders are trying to stay away for as long as possible but the peloton has reduced the gap to a minute now.
Here they come. Two laps to go!
Kamil Gradek (Poland) is upping the pace trying to split the break.
Matthieu Ladagnous (FDJ) has attacked over the top of the rise with one kilometre to go to the finish area.
20km remaining from 231km
A Polish rider has now got a gap but it looks unlikely he can stay away.
Kamil Gradek (Polish) is going for it up front but the pleoton is chading hard now. They are about to sweep up the rest of the break.
15km remaining from 231km
The skies are jet black and threatening but the riders will be hoping to avoid the rain.
The final kilometre ends with a rise and then its a fast dive to the finish.
Gradek is still hanging off the front but the peloton can see him. The others have all been caught.
12km remaining from 231km
Last lap! This is going to be a very fast finish.
Garmin-Sharp will be riding for Steele Van Hoff. BMC will looking to give Hushovd a second victory.
Belkin is on the front but it is perhaps a little early to take control of the sprint lead out.
Taylor Phinney (BMC) has taken a flyer and is off the front, chasing a stage victory.
6km remaining from 231km
It's a long effort but he has the power and speed to ride alone in a late effort like this.
Phinney's move has surprised the sprniters' teams. He has 15 seconds now!
Belkin is still chasing but the overall contenders are also up front defending their riders. That is slowing the chase.
3km remaining from 231km
Phinney still has 15 seconds. Can he do it?
The climb until 1km will be decisive.
Phinney is digging really deep.
Phinney is still out of sight. He can do this.
The gap is about 400m with Cannondale and Belkin leading the chase.
Orica-GreenEdge is also chasing.
1km remaining from 231km
Flamme rouge for Phinney.
This will be very close!
Phinney is driving to the line.
Phinney!
He gets it! The American went very deep but had the power and speed to hold off the sprinters.
He was able to keep going all the way to the line on the slight downhill and then sat up just before to he line to pose for the winner's photograph.
Phinney let out a roar as he crossed the line.
Wow. What a finale!
Van Hoff finished second, with Yauheni Hutarovich (Ag2r-La Mondiale) third.
The downhill finish helped Phinney hold off the sprinters. It was a classy performance and confirmed the BMC rider's talent.
Rafal Majka (Saxo-Tinkoff) remains as the overall race leader after the fast finish.
What a spectacular end to a the longest stage of this year's Tour of Poland.
We'll have a full report, a photo gallery news very soon.
Thanks for joining us for today's live coverage. We'll be back on Thursday for more action from the Tour of Poland.
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
How to watch the Tour de France 2025: TV, Streaming, official broadcasters
Where to watch the biggest race in the world this July -
'Good for morale' - Julian Alaphilippe shows a flash of his former brilliance on Tour de France hilly finish
Tudor rider fifth in Boulogne-sur-Mer after suffering from pre-Tour illness -
'I've struggled the last few years' – New approach and Classics-style racing see Mathieu van der Poel back in Tour de France yellow jersey
Dutchman wins first stage for four years in Boulogne-sur-Mer ahead of Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard
-
Is it April or July? - The opening weekend of the Tour de France offers two days of Classic racing - Analysis
'If you think today was bad, wait until you see stage 4,' warns Jayco-AlUla DS Matthew Hayman -
'Taken out of proportion' – Visma-Lease a Bike downplay tension with Jonas Vingegaard at Tour de France amid wife's public criticism
Head of Racing Grischa Niermann responds directly to Trine Marie Hansen's comments on altitude camps and time away from family -
'Just like a Classic' - Tadej Pogačar misses out on Tour de France lead but makes slender gain on Jonas Vingegaard in fraught stage finale
Pogačar claims the polka dot jersey, UAE happy to tick off another day without incident
-
Thieves strike at Tour de France, steal €143,000 worth of bikes from Cofidis
French team scrambles to equip riders before stage 2 -
Marlen Reusser leaves nightmare 2024 behind to fulfil pink jersey dream at Giro d'Italia
Swiss ITT champion takes charge of Italian Grand Tour with stunning opening day victory -
Tour de France stage 2: Mathieu van der Poel holds off Tadej Pogačar to win in Boulogne-sur-Mer
Jonas Vingegaard third as Van der Poel inherits maillot jaune from teammate Philipsen