2010 Tour de France stage four results.

Cancellara remains in yellow jersey

Much has been said of the many 'veterans' riding this year's Tour de France and this afternoon in Reims the 'Aged Brigade' demonstrated they've got the legs to go with their years of experience at the season's biggest race. Fastest of them was Alessandro Petacchi, who turned back the clock and made the 'Youth Brigade' look slow with a sprint reminiscent of his prime.

The 36-year-old from La Spezia proved that his victory in a crash-marred first stage in Brussels, when most of the peloton was held up by incidents in the final kilometre, was no stroke of luck brought on by the lack of competition in the finale. A long, hard sprint against a full compliment of fast men in the middle of the Champagne region was evidence of this.

The champagne would be flowing for Petacchi following his second stage win in this year's Tour. Amongst those other experienced hands animating the finish of stage four were Danilo Hondo, Julian Dean and Robbie McEwen, the latter jumping out of the pack with Petacchi at the 200m mark to ambush Mark Cavendish, who was swamped when lead-out man Mark Renshaw swung off in the finale.

The 'Manx Missile' lacked the speed to which fans became accustomed during last year's Tour and while his HTC-Columbia teammates pulled together well - as they usually do - in the closing kilometres of today's stage, the myriad crashes and unsettled nature of this opening week may have taken their toll on Cavendish.

It's a sign of the open nature of this year's Tour de France that the experienced riders we saw contesting the finale today are in the running for stage wins. Consequently, the result in Reims blows the doors of the points competition wide open. Whilst Thor Hushovd held onto the green jersey courtesy of ninth place in the sprint, his lead remains a slim 10 points over Petacchi and 18 on McEwen.

"I was too early in the front in the sprint. I was on the wheel of Cavendish, but Petacchi started a long sprint, and I had to start my sprint again," said Hushovd. "He was faster today, so chapeau.

"I have good legs. I think I can do what I did last year and pick up some points in the medium mountain stages. Of course I want to win the green jersey again, but first I want to win another stage. The fight to the green jersey is just starting... I have to take it day by day and try to pick up points when I can," he added.

And while some observers may be writing off Cavendish's chances of taking green in Paris, the uncertain nature of this year's Tour thus far may yet have something special in store for the British rider. He demonstrated to doubters that he's capable of coming back from adversity in a less-than-subtle manner during the Tour de Romandie in May and he could yet again prove them wrong in the coming weeks, despite finishing outside the top 10 in Reims.

But today was all about Lampre-Farnese Vini's effort in delivering Petacchi to the right place at the right time. General classification contender Damiano Cunego may have struggled at the back of the peloton over the previous three days - a trend that continued today - but Petacchi, aided by Hondo, Grega Bole and Simon Spilak, turned back the clock to 2003, when he was virtually untouchable during the Tour's first week before he abandoned after securing four stage wins.

For overnight race leader Fabian Cancellara, his run in the maillot jaune will continue tomorrow, the Saxo Bank rider remaining fairly anonymous during today's stage as the efforts of yesterday were sure to have left his legs a little dead. He wasn't alone in that department, as the likes of Hushovd, Cavendish and co. all appeared to be suffering from the effects of a bruising 213 kilometres from Wanze to Arenberg.

This was confirmed by Hushovd after the finish, explaining, "I wanted to do better, but I missed the power in the sprint today. It's the fatigue of the efforts from the past three days catching up with me, especially from yesterday.

"Also, today was our first day in the heat, and I don't do really well in the heat, so I was suffering all day."

A semblance of normality...

After the manic days of the opening week so far, today's 153.5km jaunt from Cambrai to Reims would serve as a chance for riders to lick their wounds and take a little rest amongst friends in the peloton.

That was aided by the early break which went after two kilometres, when Dmitri Champion (AG2R-La Mondiale) sparked a quintet of riders into action and formed the escape group that was allowed to get away early.

Iban Mayoz (Footon-Servetto), Nicolas Vogondy (Bbox-Bouygues Telecom), Francis De Greef (Omega Pharma-Lotto) and Inaki Isasi (Euskaltel-Euskadi) joined Champion ahead of the peloton and they set about establishing a suitable lead, which in fairness was always going to be controlled by the sprinters' teams behind.

With 133km remaining in the stage the gap was 3:13, the most leash the break was given on a day that had to come down to a sprint. Keeping it in check was Kanstantin Siutsou (HTC-Columbia), who for the better part of 50km seemed to be at the front of the peloton every time the TV cameras panned over the main bunch.

With 124km remaining in the stage the gap had been reduced to 2:54 although soon after it was cut to about two minutes, and there it remained for much of the afternoon, the sprinters' teams keen to conserve their assets but even more focused on avoiding any mistakes that may cost them the opportunity of a stage win.

As the bunch approached 60km to go it was holding the break at 1:23 and a further 10km down the road that had been cut to 1:10; just three kilometres later the escape group would be in sight of the peloton, although it took 44km to actually catch the plucky quintet, which in reality never stood a chance.

Cervélo TestTeam and HTC-Columbia turned up the volume with about 35km to go, deciding it was time that the break's advantage be slashed. Lampre-Farnese Vini made its presence felt with about 13km remaining, in an attempt to get Alessandro Petacchi into position for the sprint in Reims.

Grega Bole and Danilo Hondo earned their keep for the Italian team, as did Tony Martin for HTC-Columbia, who took over from Siutsou as the American squad's workhorse at the front coming into the final 30km.

HTC-Columbia's control to no avail

With Martin having driven the pace at the front of the peloton in a mission to search-and-destroy the break, it was time for Bob Stapleton's men to do what they do best - control proceedings for their sprinter, Cavendish, as he sought his first stage win at this year's Tour.

As Erik Zabel predicted before the event, most of the sprinters' teams were content to sit back, watch and wait for HTC-Columbia to drag them to the finish line. McEwen, Hushovd, Petacchi, Ciolek... all the big names were there and it was Petacchi's teammate, Hondo, who hit out early and disrupted the yellow train approaching the flamme rouge.

While Bernhard Eisel was swamped during his turn on the front, by the time Mark Renshaw took over pacing duties the order had settled and the green jersey of Hushovd could be seen on Cav's wheel with 200m to go.

When Renshaw swung off and Cavendish was expected to spring out of the slipstream instead it was Petacchi who took his cue to take off down the left side of the road with Robbie McEwen on his wheel and Julian Dean behind the Australian with teammate Robbie Hunter waiting in the wings.

The man known as 'Ale-Jet' surged hard towards the line in the only manner he knows how and it worked to perfection, with the Italian never seriously headed and his margin of victory a comfortable half-bike length.

Despite requiring a visit to the hospital after stage two, along with teammates Farrar and Christian Vande Velde, Dean gave Ale-Jet a run for his money. "I didn't feel super, I've been around a long time and I know how to follow wheels and get in position in the sprints," said Dean. "I didn't quite have it to overcome Petacchi at the finish, but second isn't bad considering I came out of the hospital two days ago. "

A few numbers from the finish:

The top five in today's stage boasted ages of 36 (Petacchi), 34 (Dean), 23 (Boasson Hagen), 38 (McEwen) and 33 (Hunter), with the Norwegian at least a decade younger than the next youngest man in the first five over the line.
Full Results
# Rider Name (Country) Team Result
1 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini 3:34:55
2 Julian Dean (NZl) Garmin - Transitions
3 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Professional Cycling Team
4 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team Katusha
5 Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin - Transitions
6 Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
7 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
8 Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
9 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team
10 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank
11 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Milram
12 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team HTC - Columbia
13 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
14 Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
15 Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Caisse d'Epargne
16 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team
17 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux
18 Thomas Löfkvist (Swe) Sky Professional Cycling Team
19 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team
20 Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step
21 Sebastian Lang (Ger) Omega Pharma-Lotto
22 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team
23 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Transitions
24 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
25 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank
26 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank
27 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
28 Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale
29 Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
30 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Quick Step
31 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
32 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana
33 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas-Doimo
34 George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team
35 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale
36 Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack
37 Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Team Milram
38 Thomas Rohregger (Aut) Team Milram
39 Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
40 Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
41 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Team Milram
42 Michael Barry (Can) Sky Professional Cycling Team
43 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram
44 Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia
45 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Milram
46 Alexander Kuschynski (Blr) Liquigas-Doimo
47 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia
48 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky Professional Cycling Team
49 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
50 Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
51 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
52 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack
53 Grégory Rast (Swi) Team Radioshack
54 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
55 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack
56 Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
57 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team HTC - Columbia
58 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank
59 Aitor Perez Arrieta (Spa) Footon-Servetto
60 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin - Transitions
61 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quick Step
62 Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana
63 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank
64 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank
65 Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Team Katusha
66 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack
67 Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank
68 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step
69 Julien El Farès (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne
70 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank
71 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Omega Pharma-Lotto
72 Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack
73 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana
74 Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
75 Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana
76 Arkaitz Duran Daroca (Spa) Footon-Servetto
77 Fabio Felline (Ita) Footon-Servetto
78 Iban Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
79 Maarten Wijnants (Bel) Quick Step
80 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha
81 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia
82 Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank
83 José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
84 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team
85 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Team Katusha
86 Ruben Plaza Molina (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
87 Damien Monier (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne
88 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Team Radioshack
88 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne
90 Luke Roberts (Aus) Team Milram
91 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française des Jeux
92 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Française des Jeux
93 John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
94 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Française des Jeux
95 Benoït Vaugrenard (Fra) Française des Jeux
96 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions
97 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Sky Professional Cycling Team
98 Anthony Geslin (Fra) Française des Jeux
99 Benjamin Noval Gonzalez (Spa) Astana
100 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia
101 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank
102 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Katusha
103 Christophe Kern (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne
104 Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini
105 Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Por) Caisse d'Epargne
106 Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne
107 Juan Manuel Gárate Cepa (Spa) Rabobank
108 Karsten Kroon (Ned) BMC Racing Team
109 Kristjan Koren (Slo) Liquigas-Doimo
110 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Team HTC - Columbia
111 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervelo Test Team
112 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
113 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
114 Rémi Pauriol (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne
115 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Cervelo Test Team
116 Markus Eibegger (Aut) Footon-Servetto
117 Iban Mayoz Echeverria (Spa) Footon-Servetto
118 Alexandr Pliuschin (Mda) Team Katusha
119 Sergio Paulinho (Por) Team Radioshack
120 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
121 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini
122 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Team Katusha
123 David Millar (GBr) Garmin - Transitions
124 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Professional Cycling Team
125 Rafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Footon-Servetto
126 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
127 Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank
128 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick Step
129 Daniel Lloyd (GBr) Cervelo Test Team
130 Anthony Charteau (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
131 Cyril Gautier (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
132 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne
133 David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Astana
134 Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas-Doimo
135 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Team Katusha
136 Steven Cummings (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team
137 Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne
138 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
139 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Team Katusha
140 Stéphane Auge (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne
141 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana
142 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - Transitions
143 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team
144 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team
145 Jose Alberto Benitez Roman (Spa) Footon-Servetto
146 Chris Anker Sørensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank
147 Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
148 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini
149 Rémy Di Grégorio (Fra) Française des Jeux
150 Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step
151 Inaki Isasi Flores (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
152 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Cervelo Test Team
153 Mario Aerts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
154 Dimitri Champion (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
155 Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team
156 Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française des Jeux
157 Kevin Seeldrayers (Bel) Quick Step
158 Mathieu Perget (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne
159 Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
160 Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini
161 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Liquigas-Doimo
162 Francesco Reda (Ita) Quick Step
163 Andreas Klier (Ger) Cervelo Test Team
164 Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini 0:00:39
165 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Lampre-Farnese Vini
166 Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre-Farnese Vini
167 Roger Kluge (Ger) Team Milram 0:00:42
168 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
169 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne
170 Charles Wegelius (GBr) Omega Pharma-Lotto
171 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Footon-Servetto
172 Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Omega Pharma-Lotto
173 Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank 0:00:44
174 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC - Columbia 0:00:52
175 Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:34
176 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank 0:01:37
177 Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Cervelo Test Team 0:01:50
178 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team 0:02:08
179 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank
180 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank
181 Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre-Farnese Vini
182 Anthony Roux (Fra) Française des Jeux
183 Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Astana
184 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Transitions
185 Francis De Greef (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 0:02:48
186 Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Team Radioshack 0:03:08
187 Alan Perez Lezaun (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:04:37
188 Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
189 Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Astana