Maxim Iglinskiy (Astana) managed to hold off the sprinters, as the last survivor of a seven-man breakaway group, to win the third stage of the 2013 Tour of Belgium at the Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure. The Kazakh jumped clear of his six companions with just over a kilometre to go and, as they were swept up by the rampaging peloton, held on to win by just two seconds.
André Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) led the sprinters across the line, just ahead of World champion Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing), with the peloton spread out in the road behind them.
Race leader Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) finished safely in the bunch to hold on to his red jersey as the race headed into its final day.
Iglinskiy had escaped after 15km of the hilly 156.3km stage, along with Gregory Rast (RadioShack-Leopard), Jens Debusschere (Lotto-Belisol), Björn Leukemans (Vacansoleil-DCM), Sebastien Delfosse (Crelan-Euphon), Florent Barle (Cofidis) and Thomas Voeckler (Europcar). The seven riders managed to get just 2’30” ahead of the peloton by the first Primus checkpoint after 87km, but Omega Pharma-Quick Step was in no hurry to pull them back as it led the peloton behind them.
Voeckler started the attacks with ten kilometres to go, with the peloton just a minute behind, but the Frenchman was soon chased down by the others and much of the break’s cohesion was lost.
Barle was initially dropped, but managed to claw his way back on the climb of the Petit Poggio. Leukemans then accelerated over the top, as Tom-Jelter Slagter (Blanco) attacked the Omega Pharma-Quick Step-led peloton just 28 seconds behind them. Barle then tried to get away with three kilometres to go, as Slagter was swept up by the peloton behind them, but he was soon caught as Voeckler went for a second time.
After a second attack from Barle, and with the peloton just 15 seconds behind, Iglinskiy made his move shortly before the flamme rouge and, as the others were swept up in the uphill finishing straight, punched the air with both fists as he crossed the line.
Greipel led the rest across the line, with Gilbert just behind him, while Martin was safely tucked in the peloton behind them.
Result stage 4
1. Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Team Astana
2. André Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Belisol @ 2s
3. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team
4. Danny van Poppel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM
5. Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Team Astana
6. Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Team Europcar
7. Jacques Janse van Rensburg (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka
8. Marcel Meisen (Ger) BKCP-Powerplus
9. Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise
10. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Accent.jobs-Wanty
Standings after stage 4
1. Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
2. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Argos-Shimano @ 40s
3. Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 50s
4. Kristoff Vandewalle (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step @53s
6. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team @ 57s
5. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 59s
7. André Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Belisol @ 1’10”
8. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team @ 1’11”
9. Stijn Devolder (Bel) RadioShack-Leopard
10. Alexey Tsatevitch (Rus) Katusha Team @ 1’14”