Postpublished at 16:21 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
12km to go
Here we go... Ineos Grenadiers have taken on the chase at the foot of the Cote du Cap Blanc-Nez, and they are about to hoover up Anthony Perez.
Summary
Stage 4: 172km route from Dunkirk to Calais
The race enters France with a hilly route along the NW coast
Dylan Groenewegen won stage three in a photo finish
Wout van Aert in leader's yellow jersey
Postpublished at 16:21 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
Another quiet day for Van Der Poel?published at 16:19 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
We haven't seen a great deal of Mathieu van der Poel since he rode an impressive time trial to finish 5th on Stage One. The man who can do almost anything on a bicycle hasn't shown any interest in the Green Jersey competition, and Jesper Phillipsen is Alpecin-Deceuninck's man if it comes down to a bunch sprint.
The punchy climbs towards the finish could provide the springboard for the Dutchman to attack. Or is he saving his energy for the cobbles of the Arenberg tomorrow?
Image source, Getty ImagesPostpublished at 16:15 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
16km to go
Perez can see the Cote du Cap Blanc-Nez, but so can everyone else.
The gap to the peloton is still around 35 seconds, but they can sweep up the Frenchman whenever they fancy it.
Postpublished at 16:12 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
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End of twitter postPostpublished at 16:11 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
19km to go
The pace is still rising in the peloton and a few riders are spilling out the back of it - Tadej Pogacar's team-mate Mikkel Bjorg is one of the ones to go.
Postpublished at 16:09 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
21km to go
Ah, Anthony Perez's lead just came down very quickly - a shade over 30 seconds now - and we still haven't turned for home yet. The teams targeting the General Classification have hit the front of the pack.
Postpublished at 16:05 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
26km to go
There's a bit of a breeze coming off the Channel apparently. I think the teams expected that to be the case, though. They will all have a plan from here...
Postpublished at 15:58 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
29km to go
A reminder there is still one more climb to come, the Cote du Cap Blanc Nez. That will play a part in the run-in to the finish, and so will the direction of the wind when the race hits the coast.
Postpublished at 15:55 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
32km to go
Wout van Aert is up there, in yellow. Tadej Pogacar too, in white. The leading teams are jostling for position, and the pace is hotting up.
Up the road, one frontman Anthony Perez keeps plugging away. He must know by now he is not going to make it... but he is not giving up.
Postpublished at 15:50 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
34km to go
So Lotto-Soudal are the team leading the chase at the moment but all the big hitters are staying near the front of the main bunch. It's going to be fascinating how this one plays out...
Postpublished at 15:43 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
40km to go
Not long until French rider Anthony Perez hits the beach - well, the coast anyway - for the run in to Calais. He's got another bump in the road soon, mind you, the Cote du Cap Blanc-Nez.
Perez upped the pace a bit after Magnus Cort dropped off, and his lead is around one minute 20 seconds.
Still just a matter of time until he is caught though.
Postpublished at 15:40 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
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End of twitter postPostpublished at 15:39 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
43km to go
Image source, EPAAh, it would help if I got Magnus Cort's name right - I should know it by now. Maybe I am best off calling him Magnus Polka Dot.
Anyway, his day's work is done and he has dropped back, leaving France's Anthony Perez alone at the very front of the race.
I'm not sure for how much longer, mind. Just a matter of time until everyone is all back together - and then the race to the line will begin!
Postpublished at 15:33 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
48km to go
Yes, Magnus Cort - aka Magnus Polka Dot - hoovers up another King of the Mountains point as the first man over Cote du Ventus. That's 11 points out of 11 for the Dane in this year's Tour
A little over a minute behind him, the teams of the big hitters and the fast men are jostling for position at the front of the pack.
Postpublished at 15:29 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
49km to go
Hello... The Jumbo-Visma team, including race leader Wout van Aert, have just hit the front of the peloton for the first time. They are setting the pace of the chase now.
Postpublished at 15:23 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
53km to go
Another climb begins, with another King of the Mountains point for Magnus Cort at the end of it... probably.
The Dane probably won't make it to the final climb of the day, Cote du Cap Blanc-Nez, out in front but he should make it to the top of Cote du Ventus first.
Postpublished at 15:19 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
57km to go
Lotto-Soudal and Alpecin are the teams massing at the front of the peloton but Peter Sagan is also among the riders up there... and he is definitely one of those who could figure later. Sagan been in the top 10 of the two sprints at this year's Tour but we can expect to see a lot more of him at some point - maybe today?
The gap to the front two is under two minutes now by the way.
Postpublished at 15:11 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
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End of twitter postPostpublished at 15:05 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
65km to go
The peloton are really motoring now, and are just two minutes and 20 seconds behind the front two.
Perez and Cort are not going to be known as the front two for much longer... but good luck at guessing how this stage is going to pan out in the final stages as we continue to head towards Calais.
Image source, ReutersPostpublished at 15:01 British Summer Time 5 July 2022
68km to go
10/10 for Magnus Cort, who still has 100% of all the King of the Mountain points from this year's Tour. He just went over the top of Cote de Harlettes ahead of Anthony Perez.