August 09, 2012 (Bergen op Zoom, Belgium) – Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team rider Tom Boonen, took over the leader’s jersey by taking 2nd in a crucial sprint section with 16km to go in the 213.3km 4th Stage on Thursday.
As a result, Boonen gained 2″ of time, and put himself in the virtual leader’s jersey by 1″. He then tried to go for the final sprint after a break was caught inside 12km to go. However, he couldn’t outsprint Marcel Kittel (Argos-Shimano), who went with 200 meters to go and could not be caught. Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto-Belisol) took 2nd, and Giacomo Nizzolo (Radioshack-Nissan) was 3rd. Boonen finished 4th, but is now the new race leader of Eneco Tour.
Michal Kwiatkowski and Sylvain Chavanel are in 7th and 8th in the GC, just 2″ back.
Tomorrow we will have to control the race, which is never easy. Then we have to do a good time trial. I really want to ride a good TT going into the last stage. But I’m not the only one in the team who can do well. Niki, Sylvain, Dries and Michal are all good time trialists and they are also good on a parcour like the one we have to face off on, on Sunday. We will see.”
Results (brief)
1. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Argos-Shimano
2. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Belisol
3. Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) RadioShack-Nissan
4. Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickStep
5. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha
6. Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Garmin-Sharp
7. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Astana
8. Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Orica-GreenEdge
9. Theo Bos (Ned) Rabobank
10. Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
GC after Stage 4
1. Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickStep
2. Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-GreenEdge 0:01
3. Sebastien Langeveld (Ned) Orica-GreenEdge
4. Svein Tuft (Can) Orica-GreenEdge
5. Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge