procycling

Stage 4

A really good stage today. Lots of time bonuses available. Lots of small but difficult hills. Lots of attempts.

In the final configuration, Kamp (🇩🇰 Uno-X) did most of the work in the group of 4 chasing L'Hôte (🇫🇷 Decathlon), receiving only the help of C. Strong (🇳🇿 NSN). I guess Q. Hermans (🇧🇪 Q36.5) could have been right not to relay, as he was far in GC and he finished last on the sprint, but that's more disputable for Venturini (🇫🇷 Unibet) who was just a few seconds behind C. Strong🇳🇿 in GC and could have great hopes for the sprint. Kamp🇩🇰 probably also paid a bit his earlier efforts when he was in the group that won the time bonus sprint and broke away at that point.

L'Hôte🇫🇷 had tighten his seat-post today, obviously! 🤣 Another brilliant day for Decathlon, even though he was close to be caught up 1 km from the goal.

A bit of a disaster for Cofidis and Coquard🇫🇷 who grabbed the first time bonus on top of a hill in Le Mans, but disappeared later in one of the Gazonfier climbs. And the team got fined for a sticky bottle for L. Rouland... who finished over 4 minutes behind! Coquard🇫🇷 had said he wasn't really interested in the first 2 stages, but concentrated on the last 2; well, the result, 16^th^ on Thursday and 22^nd^ on Friday, is no better than on Tuesday and Wednesday...

Costiou🇫🇷 exemplified what I told about him yesterday: he is always a bit listless this year. He attacks, without dropping everyone but still putting them behind him, but then never pursues his efforts despite looking OK. Best FDJ (himself) is therefore only 15^th^ in GC, in one of the easiest 2.Pro of the season... That's behind Unibet, Bardiani, Caja Rural, Cofidis who screwed up, Total, Polti and even Euskatel and Roubaix... FDJ is lucky that EF is not very good so far and that Picnic sucks badly (but managed to put Bittner 2^nd^ on the WT race-of-fractures), because otherwise it would be very visible that this team has an awful start of season.