Team Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux took initiative during the fourth stage of the Tour de Wallonie on a hilly course between Durbuy and Couvin. First, the riders under the direction of Valerio Piva and Jean-Marc Rossignon chased the early breakaway, decreasing the gap to a reasonable distance before the second race half.
The World Team then launched the two leaders of the general classification, Loïc Vliegen and Lorenzo Rota, in the approach to the last difficulty of the day, the Côte de Barrage du Ry de Rome (5km at 3%).
Despite multiple attacks of the best climbers, several groups came together in the downhill with 5 kilometer to go. Biniam Girmay and Loic Vliegen joined Lorenzo Rota in the chase behind the survivors of the early breakaway. The Eritrean rider won the sprint of the peloton in the slipstream of the quartet.
Loïc Vliegen stays second in the general classification, 4 seconds behind the leader. His teammate Lorenzo Rota stays fourth at 8 seconds.
« After three good days, I felt less good today. I had to dig deep to follow the best riders on the last climb and I finally managed to finish in the same time as the winner, with Biniam Girmay and Lorenzo Rota. In this way I could keep my second place in the provisional classification and Lorenzo Rota is still fourth. There’s one day left to defend our podium. We’ll give everything to improve our position, even though I know it will be difficult as all climbs are behind the back. »
Loïc Vliegen Tweet