Degenkolb wins another stage

Macon - German rider John Degenkolb won the sprint finish to take stage four of the  Criterium du Dauphine on Thursday but Britain's Bradley Wiggins of did enough to retain the overall leader's jersey.

Two days after claiming victory in Lyon in stage two, the 22-year-old Degenkolb was again the quickest in the pack in the final rush for the line, this time edging the Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen and the Argentinean Juan Jose Haedo.

The Lithuanian Tomas Vaitkus ended the 173.5km stretch from La Motte Servelex to Macon in fourth ahead of the Frenchman William Bonnet and Tyler Farrar of the USA.

The stage was marked by an early breakaway by Jeremy Roy and Adriano Malori but they were caught two kms from the finish.

Wiggins, who claimed the lead after finishing second in Wednesday's time-trial, contented himself by staying with the peleton to remain over a minute in front of Cadel Evans.

"I still had the effort from the time-trial in my legs but that's normal," he said.

"The stage went well with a break from two riders. But it wasn't difficult to control that.

"As far as the next stages, we will have to see how it pans out. The hardest stage will certainly be on Saturday when we have a final climb that I don't know. For the moment I have the legs for it but tomorrow (Friday) is when we have the real Dauphine."

Friday's fifth stage travels 210km on a mountainous route between Villars-les-Dombes and Les Gets, including a 10.7km long ascent to the finish.

The race ends on Sunday.

Results from stage four of the Criterium du Dauphine, a 173,5km run from La Motte-Servolex to Macon on Thursday:

1. John Degenkolb (GER/HTC) 4hr 15min 41sec
2. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR/SKY) at 0:00
3. Juan Jose Haedo (ARG/SAX) 0:00
4. Tomas Vaitkus (LTU/AST) 0:00
5. William Bonnet (FRA/FDJ) 0:00
6. Tyler Farrar (USA/GRM) 0:00
7. Marco Bandiera (ITA/QST) 0:00
8. Samuel Dumoulin (FRA/COF) 0:00
9. Pim Ligthart (NED/VAC) 0:00
10. Kenny Dehaes (BEL/OLO) 0:00
11. Sbastien Chavanel (FRA/EUC) 0:00
12. Grega Bole (SLO/LAM) 0:00
13. Rob Ruygh (NED/VAC) 0:00
14. John Murphy (USA/BMC) 0:00
15. Fabian Wegmann (GER/LEO) 0:00
16. Cyril Lemoine (FRA/SAU) 0:00
17. Sbastien Hinault (FRA/ALM) 0:00
18. Kristjan Koren (SLO/LIQ) 0:00
19. Leonardo Duque (COL/COF) 0:00
20. Maciej Paterski (POL/LIQ) 0:00

Selected

28. Nicolas Roche (IRL/ALM) 0:00.
38. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) 0:00.
70. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/SKY) 0:00.
86. Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ/AST) 0:00.
138. Ivan Basso (ITA/LIQ) 0:00.
139. Robert Gesink (NED/RAB) 0:00.
148. Daniel Martin (IRL/GRM) 0:00.
165. Tony Martin (GER/HTC) 1:45.

Overall

1. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/SKY) 12hr 57min 18sec
2. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) at 1:11
3. Janez Brajkovic (SLO/RSH) 1:21
4. Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ/AST) 1:56
5. Rui Alberto Costa (POR/MOV) 2:12
6. Geraint Thomas (GBR/SKY) 2:25
7. Jrgen Van den Broeck (BEL/OLO) 2:28
8. Christophe Riblon (FRA/ALM) 2:45
9. Ben Hermans (BEL/RSH) 2:46
10. Jrome Coppel (FRA/SAU) 2:52
11. Kanstantsin Siutsou (BLR/HTC) 2:52
12. Christophe Kern (FRA/EUC) 3:14
13. Jean Christophe Peraud (FRA/ALM) 3:18
14. Blel Kadri (FRA/ALM) 3:19
15. Thomas Voeckler (FRA/EUC) 3:23
16. Nicolas Roche (IRL/ALM) 3:26
17. Rein Taaramae (EST/COF) 3:53
18. David Moncouti (FRA/COF) 3:54
19. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) 3:55
20. Rob Ruygh (NED/VAC) 3:55

Selected

28. Robert Gesink (NED/RAB) 4:56.
69. John Degenkolb (GER/HTC) 7:46.
89. Ivan Basso (ITA/LIQ) 10:41.
94. William Bonnet (FRA/FDJ) 11:25.
100. Tony Martin (GER/HTC) 11:54.
116. Daniel Martin (IRL/GRM) 13:40.