Tour de Wallonie: Groenewegen sprints to victory on stage 4

Dylan Groewegen (Jumbo-Visma) sprinted to victory on stage 4 of the Tour de Wallonie in Fleurus, securing his second stage victory at the race.

The Dutchman went head-to-head with Florian Senechal (Deceuninck-QuickStep) in the final run to the line before his rival accidentally unclipped from his pedal in the closing metre of the 206-kilometre stage.

Giacomo Nizzolo (Qhubeka NextHash) closed in to finish second with third-placed Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) close behind, but neither man could out-do Groenewegen, who was a clear victor having jumped from Jakobsen's wheel 150 metres from the line.

"After a really hard stage we had a small group. In the end it was a sprint, and the team did a really good lead out. I did 200 metres, and it was enough," Groenewegen said after his victory.

"I have some more races and then it's better and better. I'm not at 100 per cent yet, but it's close."

Following a hard day out in the hills, which saw the breakaway take almost two hours to get established and race leader Quinn Simmons (Trek-Segafredo) at one point getting caught in a split, the stage came down to the final climb of the day – the Côte du Petit Try, 10 kilometres from the finish line.

The sprinters were among a large group of riders who made it back to the front of the race after battling up that climb, ensuring a sprint from a reduced group to the finish.

A small group had broken away off the front after Trek-Segafredo's Gianluca Brambilla pushed the pace for Simmons, but there was a swift regrouping up front two kilometres later.

Tom Vandenbosch (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) took a chance off the front with seven kilometres to go, but Jumbo-Visma had organised their team at the front of the reduced peloton, reeling the attacker back before the final kilometres.

Uno-X, Alpecin-Fenix, Jumbo-Visma and Deceuninck-QuickStep were all present at the front in the last two kilometres, but it was QuickStep who took control for the final lead out.

Senechal was perfectly placed to start his sprint, and briefly went head-to-head against Groenewegen before his accidental unclipping. Behind, nobody was close to the Dutchman, who could celebrate his second win of the season and a return to the points jersey.

Simmons retains the race lead ahead of Saturday's final stage, a 192-kilometre day from Dinant to Quaregnon.