Tour de France 2017: Démare wins crash-marked sprint, Thomas retains in overall lead

Tour de France 2017: Démare wins crash-marked sprint, Thomas retains in overall lead - Sagan out

Another long stage in the Tour de France. The 4th stage amounts to 207.5 kilometres and runs from Mondorf-les-Bains, Luxembourg, to a chaotic sprint in Vittel, France. Two crashes in the finale and Démare powers to the win, while Geraint Thomas holds on to yellow. Cavendish is the most prominent victim, while the cause of his crash, World Champion Peter Sagan, is dispelled from of the Tour de France. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 4th stage 2017 Tour de France

1. Arnaud Démare (fra)
2. Alexander Kristoff (nor) s.t.
3. André Greipel (ger) s.t.
4. Nacer Bouhanni (fra) s.t.
5. Adrien Petit (fra) s.t.
6. Jürgen Roelandts (bel) s.t.
7. Michael Matthews (aus) s.t.
8. Manuele Mori (ita) s.t.
9. Tiesj Benoot (bel) s.t.
10. Zdenek Stybar (cze) s.t.

GC after the 4th stage
1. Geraint Thomas (gbr)
2. Chris Froome (gbr) + 0.12
3. Michael Matthews (aus) + s.t.
4. Edvald Boasson Hagen (nor) + 0.16
5. Pierre Latour (fra) + 0.25
6. Philippe Gilbert (bel) + 0.30
7. Michal Kwiatkowski (pol) + 0.32
8. Tim Wellens (bel) s.t.
9. Arnaud Démare (fra) + 0.33
10. Nikias Arndt (ger) + 0.34

15. Daniel Martin (irl) + 0.43
17. Simon Yates (gbr) + 0.45
19. Richie Porte (aus) + 0.47
20. Nairo Quintana (col) + 0.48
22. Rafal Majka (pol) + 0.49
23. Romain Bardet (fra) + 0.51
25. Fabio Aru (ita) + 0.52
26. Alberto Contador (spa) + 0.54
28. Jakob Fuglsang (den) s.t.
41. Louis Meintjes (rsa) + 1.12
43. Esteban Chaves (col) + 1.13

Race report
Once the flag is dropped Guillaume Van Keirsbulck escapes. Nobody feels like joining him and he solos to a maximum lead of more than 13 minutes. With 17 kms remaining the Flemish rider is reeled in.

A first crash just before the ast kilometre takes down Geraint Thomas and Dylan Groenewegen, while Marcel Kittel is out of position to compete in the sprint. A small group powers to the line on the final straight. Peter Sagan closes the door on Mark Cavendish, who crashes hard and takes down John Degenkolb and Ben Swift.

Arnaud Démare is ahead of all the turmoil and sprints to the win with Peter Sagan in second and Alexander Kristoff in third. Yet, Sagan is disqualified and André Greipel takes third place.

Geraint Thomas is given the same time as Demare and so he wears the maillot jaune in tomorrow’s stage to La Planche des Belles Filles.