Romaine Gregoire moves into Tour of Britain lead after stage-four victory

Romaine Gregoire came home in front of Julian Alaphilippe on the uphill finish in Burton Dassett Hills to take stage four of the Tour of Britain.

The 22-year-old Frenchman took the stage victory and moved into the general classification lead, taking the green jersey from sprinter Olav Kooij, who had been expected to concede his lead as the race entered the hills.

Edoardo Zambanini (Bahrain Victorious) kept Aurelien Paret-Peintre (Decathlon AG2R La Mondaile) at arms length to ensure he came home in third for the stage.

Friday saw riders take on the longest stage of the week with a distance of 186.9km and Britain’s Sam Watson (Ineos Grenadiers) led a regrouped peloton heading up the 7.3 per cent climb to the finish in Warwickshire.

Alaphilippe was first to make his move on the right before compatriot Gregoire glided down the left and got his nose marginally in front.

The pair of French riders battled it out side by side until Gregoire opened up a decisive gap and Alaphilippe was unable to respond.

British rider Matthew Brennan, who won stage three, remains second overall, two seconds off Gregoire, with Alaphilippe in third.

PA