Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle Honda) took an incredible fourth straight victory in the 2013 Route de France as she took stage four between Cloyes-sur-le-Loir and Briare in another bunch sprint. The former two-time World champion finished more than a length clear of second place Melissa Hoskins (Orica-AIS), with Roxane Fournier of the French National Team taking third.
“It was quite an easy day because this stage didn’t really have any climbs,” Bronzini explained. “It was vey flat, and sometimes it was windy, but not strong enough to make a gap.
“Some teams - like MCipollini-Giordana, the Russian team and the American team - tried to go in a break, but we controlled the race, and and we were in every break. So it was perfect today, and we arrived in the last two-K in a big bunch.
“In the final there was a Russian girl in front, and Beatrice Bartelloni pulled the up to her with four-K to go,” Bronzini continued. “I was with Linda Villumsen and Lauren Kitchen until the beginning of the sprint, and they put me on the right wheel. I was in the wheel of Emma Johansson [Orica-AIS], and I started my sprint with 200 metres to go, and it was good.”
“I never won four days in a row before!” Bronzini exclaimed. “Never. I’m so happy, and so proud for the team.”
The 140km stage offered few opportunities for breakaways, but Anastasia Chulkova (Russia) and Jacquelyn Crowell (United States) briefly escaped together, then Russian riders Alexandra Burchenkova, Aizhan Zhaparova and Irina Molicheva all tried to get away alone.
Once again, however, the peloton arrived at the finish together, where Bronzini proved unbeatable for the fourth straight day. With no chance for the general classification riders to attack one another, Johansson maintained the slim, one-second lead over Wiggle Honda’s Villumsen that she had taken in the prologue.
Result stage 4
1. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling
2. Melissa Hoskins (Aus) Orica-AIS
3. Roxane Fournier (Fra) French National Team
4. Elizabeth Armitstead (GBr) Boels-Dolmans
5. Pascale Jeuland (Fra) Vienne-Futuroscope
6. Edita Janeliunaite (Ltu) Pasta Zara-Cogeas
7. Fanny Riberot (Fra) French National Team
8. Amy Pieters (Ned) Argos-Shimano
9. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabobank-Liv/Giant
10. Thalita de Jong (Ned) Rabobank-Liv/Giant
Standings after stage 4
1. Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica-AIS
2. Linda Villumsen (NZl) Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling @ 1s
3. Amy Pieters (Ned) Argos-Shimano @ 2s
4. Evelyn Stevens (USA) United States National Team @ 5s
5. Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Rabobank-Liv/Giant @ 6s
6. Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) MCipollini-Giordana @ 8s
7. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabobank-Liv/Giant @ 9s
8. Thalita de Jong (Ned) Rabobank-Liv/Giant
9. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Orica-AIS
10. Iris Slappendel (Ned) Rabobank-Liv/Giant @ 13s