Summary

  • Flat 213.5 km - Reims to Nancy

  • Bunch sprint finish expected in Nancy

  • France's Julian Alaphilippe in race leader's yellow jersey

  • A day to stay safe for Britain's defending champion Geraint Thomas

  • Use the play icon to listen to BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra commentary online from 14:00 BST

  1. Goodbyepublished at 17:03 British Summer Time 9 July 2019

    Right that's me done for today. Well what a brilliant sprint finish to end a scenic stroll around north-eastern France.

    You can read all about Elia Viviani's stage four victory in our report which is building here.

    Remember you can also keep in touch with all the major talking pioints from today on the BeSpoke podcast. You can listen to that here.

    Thanks for joining me and see you all soon.

  2. 'It was the big goal'published at 16:57 British Summer Time 9 July 2019

    Elia VivianiImage source, Getty Images

    Stage four winner and reigning Olympic omnium champion Elia Viviani has won five stages at the Giro d'Italia and three at the Vuelta a Espana.

    But nothing it seems comes close to winning at Le Tour...

    "That means a lot," said the 30-year-old Italian.

    "I can’t believe it. It was the big goal of the year. We missed our first chance to win a stage and take the yellow jersey but after yesterday with Julian it was the moment the team switched on.

    "I just needed to do my job in the last few hundred metres. It is what I can do better if they launch me like that.I was focused on my lead out, it was perfect team work."

  3. Michael Schar wins the combativity prizepublished at 16:53 British Summer Time 9 July 2019

    No prizes for guessing who has been named as the most aggressive rider today. Richly deserved after being up front for circa 200km.

    Michael ScharImage source, Getty Images
  4. 'It was just chaos'published at 16:51 British Summer Time 9 July 2019

    Defending Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas speaking to ITV 4:

    "That would've been a different stage if the winds had been at the end. The main cross-winds were right at the start and it as a nice day until 50km to go then it was just chaos.

    "The descent in the last 10km to go, I dare not even look at my Garmin. The team have been amazing. I haven’t had to do anything, everyone has been doing their jobs perfectly."

  5. Fast and nervy finishes are toughpublished at 16:46 British Summer Time 9 July 2019

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  6. Stage four resultspublished at 16:43 British Summer Time 9 July 2019

    1. Elia Viviani (Ita/Deceuninck-Quick Step) 5hrs 09mins 20secs
    2. Alexander Kristoff (Nor/UAE) Same time
    3. Caleb Ewan (Aus/Lotto-Soudal)
    4. Peter Sagan (Slo/Bora-Hansgrohe)
    5. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned/Jumbo-Visma)
    6. Mike Teunissen (Ned/Jumbo-Visma)
    7. Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita/Dimenson Data)
    8. Jasper Stuyen (Bel/Trek-Segafredo)
    9. Michael Matthews (Aus/Sunweb)
    10. Christophe Laporte (Fra/Cofidis)

  7. Postpublished at 16:37 British Summer Time 9 July 2019

    The yellow jersey Julian Alaphilippe led Elia Viviani out there.

    Obviously no 'I' in team at Deceuninck-Quick Step. That was brilliantly selfless.

    Julian Alaphilippe led Elia Viviani outImage source, Getty Images
  8. Elia Viviani wins stage fourpublished at 16:35 British Summer Time 9 July 2019

    What. A. Finish.

    Elia Viviani takes his first stage win at the Tour de France.

    That feels good for the Italian is going crazy after coming past Peter Sagan and Mike Teunissen to claim victory.

    Alexander Kristoff, Caleb Ewan and Dylan Groenwegen were all there as well. That was tight.

  9. Postpublished at 16:33 British Summer Time 9 July 2019

    Here we go.....

  10. Postpublished at 1km to go

    Wout van Aert is leading this out....for Jumbo-Visma. Mike Teunissen and Dylan Groenewegen are both there.

  11. Postpublished at 2km to go

    Dylan Groenewegen and Peter Sagan are both right in the mix here. With race leader Julian Alaphilippe just on the Slovakian's tail.

    Surely not the safest place to be.

  12. Postpublished at 4km to go

    Team Ineos are right up front at the moment as are Cofidis who are trying to lead out their man Christophe Laporte.

    Where's Peter Sagan?

  13. Postpublished at 6km to go

    How long can Lilian Calmejane stay clear here? The sprint trains are assembling at the front of the race and the pace is scorchio!

  14. Postpublished at 10km to go

    It's getting to that stage of the race now where the sprint teams are mobilising in the peloton.

    But as they do French rider Lilian Calmejane attacks for Total-Direct Energie.

  15. Postpublished at 14km to go

    Dylan Groenewegen was hanging on by the skin of his teeth there as Sunweb's Wilco Keldermann crested the climb first.

  16. Peloton call time on Scharpublished at 16km to go

    Michael Schar's sojourn at the front of the race ends about a kilometre from the top of the Cote de Maron.

    Sunweb are really applying the gas here, stretching this out. Jumbo-Visma's Steven Kruijswijk is gasping for air which isn't a good sign given some of the tests to still come in the Alps and Pyrenees, later in the race.

    Jumbo-Visma team-mate Dylan Groenewegen is still there though. As is defending champion Geraint Thomas, who looks in decent nick.

  17. Postpublished at 18km to go

    Up the Cote de Maron we go.....And Michael Schar is now going solo having dropped Frederik Backaert.

    Jumbo-Visma are leading the chase some 18 seconds back in the main bunch.

  18. Katusha-Alpecin future looking shaky?published at 16:11 British Summer Time 9 July 2019

    If you're wondering just what that last tweet was all about.

    The future of Katusha-Alpecin is looking pretty shaky at the minute. Alpecin are departing as a sponsor at the end of the year while bike supplier Canyon are also waving au revoir.

    And to top it off general manager Jose Azevedo recently confirmed that he can't offer contract extensions for next year!

    This is the team that flew around the team time trial on Sunday as well!

  19. Dowsett's shop window?published at 16:09 British Summer Time 9 July 2019

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  20. Three become twopublished at 28km to go

    And three become two.

    Michael Schar applies the gas and he and Ferderik Backaert shake off Yoann Offredo, and in the process take another 10-15 seconds out of the peloton, to bring their lead up to around 48 seconds.

    Astonishing effort from Schar, who has been setting the pace for the majority of the last five hours.