Britain’s Alex Dowsett had a catastrophic day’s racing as a double puncture struck while Michal Kwiatkowski of Omega Pharma-Quick Step took an impressively-timed win and the yellow jersey at the conclusion of stage four in Bristol.
The Polish rider took both Albert Timmer and Jack Bauer by surprise in a last-minute dash for the line and made himself the fourth person to wear the Friends Life leader’s jersey in as many days.
Stage four took the race back over the border into England after nearly two days of racing on the roads of Wales with an undulating course with a hilltop finish, albeit not on the scale of yesterday’s climb to the line at The Tumble in Monmouthshire.
Movistar’s Alex Dowsett got things moving early on making a break for it. He was joined by a group of eight riders, namely Lasse Hansen (Garmin-Sharp), Peter Velits (BMC Racing), Albert Timmer (Giant-Shimano), Kristian House (Rapha Condor), Mike Northey (Madison-Genesis), Sam Harrison (NFTO), Mark Christian (Raleigh) and Sebastian Lander (BMC Racing).
It wasn’t to be Dowsett’s day however as he was struck by a double puncture whilst part of the leading group. Dowsett, who was obviously oblivious to the extent of the problem, had his front wheel changed and went to pull away from the team car then had to stop again as he realised that he also had a rear puncture.
This cost the Essex rider almost one minute 10 seconds and with the peloton only two minutes and 20 seconds behind this was something he could have done without.
The Commonwealth Games gold medallist used his time trialling pedigree to go it alone but after making up five seconds on the leading group he decided to call it quits and let the peloton soak him up.
The gap between the peloton and leading group was getting smaller and smaller but with just over 12km to go, in a repeat of stage two, Lasse Hansen made a break for it away from the leading group taking Velits and Timmer with him.
The peloton hit the gas as they entered the last seven kilometres but with the gap still nearly a minute, it looked as if their efforts were to be in vain. However in an almost carbon copy of the situation that unfolded in Monday’s stage on the climb of the Great Orme in Llandudno, the advancing peloton almost closed the gap.
Timmer made a break for it and went solo for the last few kilometres. Jack Bauer gave chase and made the junction on the way into the line.
It looked as though the win would be between Bauer and Timmer but Michal Kwiatkowski bridged the gap to them as the pair appeared to tire in the final few hundred metres. He eventually took the stage win in a sprint to the line and earned himself the yellow jersey in the process.
Kwiatkowski enters day five with a three second lead over Tuesday’s winner Edouardo Zardini. Great Britain’s Sir Bradley Wiggins now sits in sixth place overall, 27 seconds down on the current leader at the halfway point.
The Briton, who will be looking to close the gap in Sunday morning's time-trial, spoke to ITV.com: "I'm still up there but on paper first place has gone now.
"I can't see myself getting 27 seconds on Kwiatkowski, but the podium is only 12 seconds away.
"He only has to have a puncture in the time trial. I wouldn't say the GC (general classification) is over because finishing up there as the defending champion is important."
Thursday's stage five travels 177.3 kilometres from Exmouth to Exeter. Follow live updates from every stage of the Tour of Britain on the British Cycling website.
Results
Stage four
General classification after stage four
