Clementz and Vouilloz win special stages on day 4

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Wednesday's day 4 ride through the Maritime Alps was a short one, relatively speaking. A touch under 30km long, 2354 metres of descending and a total accumulated baguette consumption of 135 metres.

Each day, 120 baguettes are freshly baked and delivered to the campsite kitchen, opened up into hearty sandwiches and sliced for evening dipping. We have estimated that each rider eats at least a length of baguette each day. The loafage is just part of what keeps the Trans-Provence riders and staff going. Today there were also 20 kilogram of beef, 10 litres of dark beer (don't judge, it was for the beef and beer stew) and two boxes of wine (the spirit needs fueling, too).

The other form of sustenance today was the buffet of trails sampled. From wet and wild loamy Ubac to steep and technical Rochers De Bramus and even the lunar landscape of the infamous "Grey Earth" stage, the riding couldn't be anymore varied than it has been. And this was just one day. With three more to come and Monte Carlo still feeling like a faraway land, racers will likely be distended by trail consumption by then.

Jérôme Clementz (Cannondale/Mavic) won three of the four special stages and moved up into the overall lead ahead of previous leader Nicolas Lau (Cube Action Team) by 14 seconds and Nicolas Vouilloz (Lapierre) by 2:04. Vouilloz won the only special stage of the day not won by Clementz.

Anne-Caroline Chausson continues to top the women's standings, ahead of Rosara Joseph (Rabobank-Giant) and Anka Martin (Santa Cruz/SRAM).

There are three days left to race before the finish at Monaco.

Full Results