Pearson the new leader after Stage 4 breakaway

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Joel Pearson (Genesys Wealth Advisers) has won the fourth stage of the Tour of the Murray River after being part of a breakaway that was finally allowed to ride away from the rest of the peloton with just under 20km left to race.

Peter Thompson (Drapac Professional Cycling) and Luke Ockerby (Budget Forklifts) took the other podium places while Pearson's efforts earned him the yellow leader's jersey with Stage 2 and 3 winner teammate Anthony Giacoppo now 14 seconds in arrears.

Pearson won the tour in 2010, and is a two-time Melbourne to Warrnambool winner (2011, 2009). His win in the one-day classic was Pearson's last time where he was first across the tape.

"You start doubting yourself, whether you've still got the speed and the endurance that you used to have when you were a couple of years younger," he said. "It's not so much the win [that gives you confidence], it's just that general feeling you have, that you feel more on top of the bike.

"I'm feeling as good as I have in a long time."

Pearson explained after the win that he and teammate Campbell Flakemore made a move for the break as a way to take pressure off Giacoppo.

"It was to our advantage to keep going with it" Pearson said.

Budget took the race by the horns right from the start although any attempts at a gap were nullified quickly. Gordon McCauley (Drapac Professional Cycling) also had a dig but it was no surprise to see his move shut down by Budget.

Ockerby, who had earlier taken out the first sprint of the day, took his own chances shortly before the second intermediate but a group of six decided he was too dangerous to be left out on his own. Ockerby was eventually caught by teammate Blair Windsor and McCauley 1.5km from the second sprint.

The race was back together when GPM Wilson Racing's Josh Taylor took the best of the points at the second intermediate ahead of Kane Walker (Genesys Wealth Advisers) and Stuart Shaw (Drapac Professional Cycling). That proved the launch pad for another attack with the peloton hitting a gravel road and nine riders moved off the front - Sam Witmitz (Budget Forklifts), Pearson, Glenn O'Shea (SASI), Peter Thompson (Drapac Professional Cycling), James McCoy (PureBlack Racing), Nicholas D'Ambrosio (Parramatta Race Team), Bradeley Hall, Alexa Smythe (Plan B Racing) and Aaron Donnelly (Jacyo Honeyshotz). Their advantage didn't last and the race was back together shortly outside of the gravelled road.

Joseph Cooper (PureBlack Racing) took out the third sprint, trailed by Josh Taylor (GPM Wilson Racing) and Pat Shaw (Genesys Wealth Advisers) and soon the Kiwi was away on his own for the next eight kilometres out on his own before being reeled back in. That was the queue for another breakaway of 13 riders to move away - Pearson, Flakemore, Thompson, Ockerby, Peter Loft (Budget Forklifts), Harry Carpenter, Fraser Northey (SASI), McCoy, Andrew Crawley (GPM Wilson Racing), Jarryd Jones (Moira Shire), Dean Sanfilippo, James Boal (John West Cycling), and James Hepburn (RBS Morgans - ATS) earned an advantage of 40 seconds with 13kms to go. The move gave Pearson the virtual lead in the race.

Ten kilometres before the finish, the break's advantage was cut by five seconds while Windsor was brought down in the main peloton.

Pearson believes that Genesys as a whole remains a threat for the rest of the tour, but warned that Giacoppo was a long way from being discounted.

"He's a super athlete," he said. "But if I get a chance to go for one, I'll take it with both hands.

"I think you could pick any one of us... They're all just as capable as I am. That's the good thing about our team."

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