Greipel wins TDF 4th stage

Rouen - German rider Andre Greipel prevailed in a sprint finish to claim the fourth stage of the Tour De France here Wednesday with Fabian Cancellera holding onto the leader's yellow jersey.

The closing stages were marked by a multi-bike pile-up less than three kilometres from the line with British sprint king Mark Cavendish among the casualties.

With the main peloton held up by the crash Lotto rider Greipel took the honours after the 214km ride from Abbeville to the historic Normandy cathedral city of Rouen.

Italian sprinter Alessandro Petacchi came in second from Dutch rival Tom Veelers.

This was the 29-year-old Greipel's second stage win in the race after he opened his Tour de France account last year in Carmaux, and his 14th overall of the year.

As expected a day after the rigours of the first crash-hit stage on Tuesday left skin on the road and led to three abandons, the early breakaway which formed almost immediately was allowed to race on unhindered.

Japanese Yukiya Arashiro (Europcar) and French pair David Moncoutie (Cofidis) and Anthon Delaplace (Suar-Sojasun) were no threat to the bunch and soon built a maximum lead of nearly nine minutes.

With a pancake flat finish, however, they were at the mercy of the sprinters' teams.

They began to put riders at the front of the bunch to prepare the chase, which began in earnest 30 km after Cavendish had beaten his sprint rivals for the green jersey points at the intermediate sprint at 140 km.

Twenty kilometres further on, the day's first crash took down Australian Jonathan Cantwell (Saxo Bank) and Frenchman Mickael Cherel (AG2R), but they were soon back on their bikes chasing.

It took an extra effort, however, for yellow jersey contender Vincenzo Nibali to rejoin the peloton after he suffered a flat tyre and had to wait for a new bike before being paced back to the bunch by two Liquigas teammates.

With 60 km remaining the trio's lead had dropped to 5:00 and was almost halved by the time Arashiro took advantage of a small descent to try and distance his breakaway companions.

His effort did not last long and the front trio were back together for a desperate bid to get to the finish.

But with sprinters' teams like Orica-GreenEdge and Lotto beginning to up the pace their lead dropped to below a minute for the first time with 15 km to race, with the closing stages marred by the second major crash of the 99th Tour.

Overall standings after the 4th stage of the Tour de France, a 214.5km ride from Abbeville to Rouen on Wednesday:

1. Fabian Cancellara (SUI/RSH) 20h04min 02sec

2. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/SKY) at 0:07.

3. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/OPQ) 0:07.

4. Tejay Van Garderen (USA/BMC) 0:10.

5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR/SKY) 0:11.

6. Denis Menchov (RUS/KAT) 0:13.

7. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) 0:17.

8. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/LIQ) 0:18.

9. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN/GRM) 0:18.

10. Andreas Kloden (GER/RSH) 0:19.

11. Bauke Mollema (NED/RAB) 0:21.

12. Maxime Monfort (BEL/RSH) 0:22.

13. Janez Brajkovic (SLO/AST) 0:22.

14. Rein Taaramae (EST/COF) 0:22.

15. Peter Sagan (SVK/LIQ) 0:23.

16. Jean Christophe Peraud (FRA/ALM) 0:23.

17. Marco Marcato (ITA/VAC) 0:23.

18. Vladimir Gusev (RUS/KAT) 0:24.

19. Haimar Zubeldia (ESP/RSH) 0:24.

20. Wout Poels (NED/VAC) 0:24.

21. Nicolas Roche (IRL/ALM) 0:25.

22. Michael Rogers (AUS/SKY) 0:25.

23. Robert Gesink (NED/RAB) 0:26.

24. Jurgen Van den Broeck (BEL/LTB) 0:28.

25. Dries Devenyns (BEL/OPQ) 0:29.

26. Ivan Basso (ITA/LIQ) 0:29.

27. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/MOV) 0:35.

28. Eduard Vorganov (RUS/KAT) 0:35.

29. Mikel Astarloza (ESP/EUS) 0:37.

30. Michele Scarponi (ITA/LAM) 0:37.

31. Frank Schleck (LUX/RSH) 0:38.

32. Andriy Grivko (UKR/AST) 0:38.

33. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/EUS) 0:40.

34. Robert Kiserlovski (CRO/AST) 0:42.

35. Rui Costa (POR/MOV) 0:42.

36. Nick Nuyens (BEL/SAX) 0:43.

37. Pierre Rolland (FRA/EUC) 0:45.

38. Levi Leipheimer (USA/OPQ) 0:45.

39. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) 0:47.

40. Jrome Coppel (FRA/SAU) 0:48.

41. Steven Kruijswijk (NED/RAB) 0:53.

42. Rob Ruijgh (NED/VAC) 0:53.

43. Oscar Freire (ESP/KAT) 0:57.

44. Jelle Vanendert (BEL/LTB) 1:00.

45. Rafael Valls (ESP/VAC) 1:01.

46. Andre Kashechkin (KAZ/AST) 1:24.

47. Chris Horner (USA/RSH) 1:29.

48. Egoi Martinez (ESP/EUS) 1:30.

49. Tony Gallopin (FRA/RSH) 1:38.

50. Chris Froome (GBR/SKY) 1:41.

51. Fredrik Kessiakoff (SWE/AST) 1:42.

52. Laurens ten Dam (NED/RAB) 1:55.

53. Yukiya Arashiro (JPN/EUC) 2:03.

54. Peter Velits (SVK/OPQ) 2:09.

55. Luis ngel Mat (ESP/COF) 2:22.

56. George Hincapie (USA/BMC) 2:27.

57. Christian Vande Velde (USA/GRM) 2:29.

58. Gorka Izagirre (ESP/EUS) 2:40.

59. Baden Cooke (AUS/GEC) 2:46.

60. Bram Tankink (NED/RAB) 2:52.

61. Remy Di Gregorio (FRA/COF) 2:54.

62. Christophe Riblon (FRA/ALM) 2:59.

63. Chris Anker Sorensen (DEN/SAX) 3:08.

64. Sandy Casar (FRA/FDJ) 3:17.

65. Federico Canuti (ITA/LIQ) 3:18.

66. Davide Malacarne (ITA/EUC) 3:34.

67. Kevin De Weert (BEL/OPQ) 3:44.

68. Pierrick Fedrigo (FRA/FDJ) 3:44.

69. Michael Schr (SUI/BMC) 3:50.

70. Greg Henderson (NZL/LTB) 4:01.

71. Kris Boeckmans (BEL/VAC) 4:03.

72. Fabrice Jeandesboz (FRA/SAU) 4:04.

73. Andr Greipel (GER/LTB) 4:04.

74. Nicki Sorensen (DEN/SAX) 4:10.

75. Maxim Iglinskiy (KAZ/AST) 4:14.

76. Sylvester Szmyd (POL/LIQ) 4:15.

77. Pieter Weening (NED/GEC) 4:18.

78. Marcus Burghardt (GER/BMC) 4:21.

79. Daryl Impey (RSA/GEC) 4:30.

80. Johannes Frhlinger (GER/ARG) 4:47.

81. Yury Trofimov (RUS/KAT) 4:58.

82. Rubn Plaza (ESP/MOV) 4:59.

83. Michael Albasini (SUI/GEC) 5:07.

84. Ivan Gutierrez (ESP/MOV) 5:12.

85. Alessandro Vanotti (ITA/LIQ) 5:16.

86. Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ/AST) 5:24.

87. Daniel Martin (IRL/GRM) 5:28.

88. Arthur Vichot (FRA/FDJ) 6:00.

89. Amets Txurruka (ESP/EUS) 6:20.

90. Kristjan Koren (SLO/LIQ) 6:22.

91. Stuart O'Grady (AUS/GEC) 6:23.

92. Matthew Goss (AUS/GEC) 6:29.

93. Richie Porte (AUS/SKY) 6:30.

94. Hubert Dupont (FRA/ALM) 6:32.

95. Yaroslav Popovych (UKR/RSH) 6:43.

96. Luca Paolini (ITA/KAT) 6:54.

97. Davide Vigano (ITA/LAM) 7:02.

98. Aliaksandr Kuschynski (BLR/KAT) 7:02.

99. Ruben Perez Moreno (ESP/EUS) 7:02.

100. Martin Velits (SVK/OPQ) 7:05.

101. Amal Moinard (FRA/BMC) 7:12.

102. Koen de Kort (NED/ARG) 7:29.

103. Jrgen Roelandts (BEL/LTB) 7:46.

104. Philippe Gilbert (BEL/BMC) 7:58.

105. Lars Ytting Bak (DEN/LTB) 8:03.

106. Dominik Nerz (GER/LIQ) 8:03.

107. Lieuwe Westra (NED/VAC) 8:03.

108. Matthieu Ladagnous (FRA/FDJ) 8:04.

109. Thomas Voeckler (FRA/EUC) 8:19.

110. Jorge Azanza (ESP/EUS) 8:28.

111. Mickal Cherel (FRA/ALM) 8:32.

112. Giovanni Bernaudeau (FRA/EUC) 8:34.

113. Cyril Gautier (FRA/EUC) 8:35.

114. Johnny Hoogerland (NED/VAC) 8:36.

115. Joan Horrach (ESP/KAT) 8:36.

116. Jens Voigt (GER/RSH) 8:46.

117. Alessandro Petacchi (ITA/LAM) 8:47.

118. Dmitriy Fofonov (KAZ/AST) 8:47.

119. Marcel Sieberg (GER/LTB) 8:48.

120. Danilo Hondo (GER/LAM) 8:49.

121. Sbastien Hinault (FRA/ALM) 8:56.

122. Vasil Kiryienka (BLR/MOV) 8:56.

123. Bernhard Eisel (AUT/SKY) 8:59.

124. Maxime Bouet (FRA/ALM) 9:13.

125. Imanol Erviti (ESP/MOV) 9:42.

126. Christophe Kern (FRA/EUC) 9:47.

127. Cyril Lemoine (FRA/SAU) 9:50.

128. Mark Cavendish (GBR/SKY) 9:56.

129. Romain Zingle (BEL/COF) 9:57.

130. Maarten Wijnants (BEL/RAB) 10:03.

131. Jonathan Cantwell (AUS/SAX) 10:10.

132. Kenny van Hummel (NED/VAC) 10:16.

133. Mark Renshaw (AUS/RAB) 10:17.

134. Sergio Paulinho (POR/SAX) 10:17.

135. Yauheni Hutarovich (BLR/FDJ) 10:22.

136. Michael Morkov (DEN/SAX) 10:25.

137. Vincent Jrme (FRA/EUC) 10:30.

138. Anders Lund (DEN/SAX) 10:36.

139. Marco Marzano (ITA/LAM) 10:45.

140. Bert Grabsch (GER/OPQ) 10:53.

141. Daniel Oss (ITA/LIQ) 10:57.

142. Simon Gerrans (AUS/GEC) 11:05.

143. Sbastien Minard (FRA/ALM) 11:05.

144. Anthony Delaplace (FRA/SAU) 11:07.

145. Samuel Dumoulin (FRA/COF) 11:20.

146. Juan Jos Haedo (ARG/SAX) 11:33.

147. Jan Ghyselinck (BEL/COF) 11:38.

148. Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (ESP/MOV) 11:43.

149. Stephen Cummings (GBR/BMC) 11:45.

150. Guillaume Levarlet (FRA/SAU) 11:50.

151. Gustav Erik Larsson (SWE/VAC) 11:51.

152. Julien Fouchard (FRA/COF) 11:51.

153. Grega Bole (SLO/LAM) 11:59.

154. Tom Danielson (USA/GRM) 12:02.

155. Yohann Gene (FRA/EUC) 12:11.

156. David Millar (GBR/GRM) 12:11.

157. Borut Božic (SLO/AST) 12:14.

158. Nicolas Edet (FRA/COF) 12:14.

159. Christian Knees (GER/SKY) 12:21.

160. Matthew Lloyd (AUS/LAM) 12:32.

161. Julien Simon (FRA/SAU) 12:45.

162. Tyler Farrar (USA/GRM) 12:52.

163. Brett Lancaster (AUS/GEC) 12:54.

164. Adam Hansen (AUS/LTB) 12:55.

165. Vladimir Karpets (RUS/MOV) 12:59.

166. Manuel Quinziato (ITA/BMC) 13:00.

167. Robert Hunter (RSA/GRM) 13:04.

168. Johan Van Summeren (BEL/GRM) 13:13.

169. David Zabriskie (USA/GRM) 13:26.

170. David Moncouti (FRA/COF) 13:38.

171. Karsten Kroon (NED/SAX) 13:43.

172. Yuriy Krivtsov (UKR/LAM) 13:56.

173. Jimmy Engoulvent (FRA/SAU) 14:33.

174. Jrme Pineau (FRA/OPQ) 14:48.

175. Tom Veelers (NED/ARG) 14:51.

176. Cedric Pineau (FRA/FDJ) 15:41.

177. Anthony Roux (FRA/FDJ) 15:56.

178. Blel Kadri (FRA/ALM) 15:57.

179. Jeremy Roy (FRA/FDJ) 16:07.

180. Yann Huguet (FRA/ARG) 17:42.

181. Tony Martin (GER/OPQ) 17:42.

182. Giampaolo Caruso (ITA/KAT) 18:03.

183. Simone Stortoni (ITA/LAM) 18:26.

184. Jean-Marc Marino (FRA/SAU) 18:59.

185. Roy Curvers (NED/ARG) 19:10.

186. Mathieu Sprick (FRA/ARG) 19:12.

187. Patrick Gretsch (GER/ARG) 19:41.

188. Francis de Greef (BEL/LTB) 20:02.

189. Gorka Verdugo (ESP/EUS) 21:07.

190. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP/RAB) 21:51.

191. Albert Timmer (NED/ARG) 22:53.

192. Pablo Urtasun (ESP/EUS) 26:14.

193. Sbastian Langeveld (NED/GEC) 26:39.

194. Marcel Kittel (GER/ARG) 32:43.

195. Brice Feillu (FRA/SAU) 35:03.