Norway’s Thor Hushovd claimed his first victory of the year when he clinched the fourth stage of the Tour de France, a 193km trek from Villers-Cotterets to Joigny on Wednesday.
The Credit Agricole rider, who won the green jersey in 2005, launched the bunch sprint 350m from the finish line to edge Barloworld’s South African rider Robert Hunter for the win.
Spaniard Oscar Freire, who has yet to win a stage this year, was third for the Rabobank team.
Hushovd’s fifth victory on the Tour means the Norwegian leapfrogs German Andreas Kloeden for second place overall thanks to time bonuses, with Briton David Millar now out of the top three.
Swiss Fabian Cancellara, who finished safe in the main pack, retained the leader’s yellow jersey. Belgian Tom Boonen was a disappointing eighth in the stage but retained the green jersey.
Hushovd, who won last year’s opening prologue and the closing sprint on the Champs-Elysees, paid tribute to Australian teammate Julian Dean, who piloted him through the pack in the last kilometre.
”He is the best in the world to launch the sprints,” said Hushovd.
Frenchman Matthieu Sprick launched a breakaway after 30km and was followed by compatriot Sylvain Chavanel, Spaniards Juan Antonio Flecha and Gorka Verdugo, and Germany’s Christian Knees.
The fugitives built a four-minute gap but were inexorably swallowed by the peloton with seven km remaining.
The Caisse d’Epargne team were reduced to eight men after Spaniard Xavier Zandio retired with a fractured collarbone following a crash early in the stage.
”He fractured his right collarbone, he really cannot go on,” said manager Jose-Luis Jaimerena. ”It is a huge loss for the team because he is a rider who can work on any type of course. It’s a pity.”
Another rider, Remy di Gregorio of the Francaise des Jeux team, was involved in the crash and sustained an elbow injury.
Di Gregorio, however, managed to reach the finish line almost eight minutes after Hushovd.
Thursday’s fifth stage takes the peloton over 182.5 km from Chablis to Autun. — Reuters