Scooping both the stage victory and the race leader’s jersey, Philippe Gilbert showed that he is heading towards a very strong Tour de France with a superb display on today’s fourth stage of the Ster ZLM Toer.
The 2009 winner was one of eight riders who went clear before the two 16.2 kilometre finishing circuits in and around La Gileppe. He joined up with team-mate Bart De Clerq, Niki Terpstra (Quick Step), Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Cervelo), Joost Van Leijen (Vacansoleil-DCM), David Tanner (Saxo Bank Sungard), Matti Helminen (Landbouwkrediet) and Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil). De Clerq rode to help establish the move, spending himself before dropping back to the peloton.
The other seven riders continued on and hoped a lead of over two minutes on the peloton. Gilbert was strongest in the sprint to the line, showing the same uphill acceleration which won him the Amsel Gold Race and Flèche Wallonne in April. Terpstra, Navardauskas and Van Leijen all finished a second back, while Tanner, Helminen and Hoogerland each lost 19 seconds or more.
Sky Procycling’s Davide Appollonio was first home of the main bunch, finishing one minute 12 seconds back. Overnight race leader Patrick Gretsch had a hard day due to the attacks and rolled in a further 15 seconds behind in 26th place.
Gilbert takes over at the top, and now holds a one second lead over Terpstra and an eleven second advantage over Navardauskas. He’ll be feeling good about his chances with just one 191 kilometre stage to Leur remaining.
Early on, Hoogerland tried to pre-empt the battle amongst the GC riders by going clear 30 kilometres after the start. He joined up with Christoph Pfingsten (Cyclingteam De Rijke), Huub Duyn (Donckers Koffie - Jelly Belly), Stef Clement (Rabobank) and Matti Helminen (Landbouwkrediet), and together they built a lead of nearly four minutes.
They were reeled in before the two laps of the finishing circuit, though, and soon afterwards Gilbert, a stubborn Hoogerland plus the other six riders clipped away. While Gilbert was the clear race favourite, the peloton couldn’t do anything about the move and he would go on to add yet another win to his season’s tally.
Tomorrow’s final stage takes the rider 191 kilometres from Etten to Leur. Terpstra and the others will do what they can to prolong the battle, but Gilbert’s dominance this season marks him out as the clear favourite.