Italian sprint king Alessandro Petacchi took his second stage victory in this year's Tour de France by outmuscling his rivals in a long drag to the line in Reims. Whereas Petacchi's win in stage 1 in Brussels was marred by three crashes in the closing kilometers, his rivals had no response for his powerful sprint. The Lampre rider got the better of Julian Dean (Garmin-Transitions) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky) after the big names of Cavendish and Hushovd faded early.

"If people say I won in Brussels because of the crashes, today I proved that I have the power to win," Petacchi commented after crossing the line. "I've learned a few things in the 200 plus sprints I've done."

"These victories are important for my team and they give me a lot of confidence," he added. "It's true that without a big leadout train I have to take my chances as I can and anticipate the sprints, but that's not to take anything away from my team because they did a lot of incredible work for me today."

"I think Cavendish was waiting for the the final 250 meters but I anticipated the right moment and jumped early."

Petacchi also brushed aside any thoughts that he is not in this Tour for the long haul.

"Oscar Freire said to me the other day that my Tour is done, I won my stage... But I don't see it like that," he said. "I am here to win more stages."

The Peloton Settles Down

With a late start and a short parcours, today's stage offered a rest day of sorts for the embattled general classification riders and those who have suffered crashes and pain since the opening road stage on Sunday. Everything went according to script, as an early break of five men went clear just 1 kilometer into the race and enjoyed their time in the sun until their capture with just over 4km to the line. The rest of the peloton stayed compact and rolled steadily into the heart of Champagne country. 

Five riders took the initiative to tempt fate against the laws of flat stages, going clear shortly after the drop of the flag leaving Cambrai. The group included recent Dauphiné Libéré stage winner Nicolas Vogondy (Bbox Bouygues Telecom), Dimitri Champion (AG2R La Mondiale), Inaki Isasi (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Francis De Greef (Omega Pharma-Lotto), and Iban Mayoz (Footon-Servetto). 

Dimitri Champion (l) was the driving force behind the five-man breakaway

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

After two stages over 200km, today's shorter ride meant that the sprinters' teams were not going to let a breakaway get too comfortable. The maximum advantage for the five leaders was 3 minutes 50 seconds at the 50km mark. HTC-Columbia kept the gap manageable, thinking of the sprint finish to come and the team's fast man, Mark Cavendish.

Thor Hushovd's Cervélo TestTeam took over the pursuit in the closing 40km along with HTC-Columbia, with Lampre contributing to the chase. Frenchman Dimitri Champion looked the most fluid and eager of the escape, keeping the pace high and resisting until the bitter end as the race closed in on Reims. As the gap tumbled to under 30 seconds in the final 20km, it was clear the break was doomed and the sprinters began to think ahead to their leadout plans. Under the 5km to go banner, Champion's last token accelerations with the peloton in sight marked the end of the adventure for the five.

The yellow jersey favorites stayed quiet today. Fabian Cancellara easily held on to his yellow jersey while the general classification remains unchanged ahead of Thursday's stage 5. It was a quiet day too for the likes of Alberto Contador, Lance Armstrong and Andy Schleck after the battle on the pavé a day before.

Hushovd Targets Green Repeat

Thor Hushovd was disappointed with his sprint but offered no excuses on a day when he just didn't have the finishing speed required. Despite finishing in ninth position on the stage, he retained his green jersey.

"Today I lacked a little power in the sprint, unfortunately," Hushovd admitted. "I think the fatigue from the first three days, which were very nervous, took a lot away from me. I also suffered a bit in the heat."

"Of course I want to win the green jersey again, but first I want to win another stage," he added. "The fight to the green jersey is just starting. I have to take it day by day and try to pick up points when I can."

HTC-Columbia's Mark Cavendish, meanwhile, was simply not a factor in the first full bunch sprint of the Tour. Led out by Mark Renshaw with 500 meters to go, Cavendish had no response for the acceleration to the left from Petacchi and promptly admitted defeat by sitting up in the sprint.

Cavendish let his pride get in the way of his objectives, as he sat up in the sprint and thus failed to salvage his day with more points toward the green jersey competition. The three points he conceded today to Thor Hushovd, who has to be seen as the favorite for the green jersey in Paris, may come back to haunt him later in the Tour. He currently languishes in 36th place in the points classification with 15 points to Hushovd's 80. 

"I'm sure that Cavendish will win this week," HTC-Columbia's ace leadout man Renshaw insisted after the stage. "The other teams are very strong, it's not that we're not riding well. But there's no question that Mark will win this week."

Stage 5 Preview

The temperature is rising as the peloton moves south and deeper into France and another sprint stage is on order in Thursday's fifth stage of the Tour. The race begins in Epernay, the capital of the Champagne region, and covers 187.5km on its way to Montargis. A few small category 4 climbs will serve the breakaway artists well to get clear before the stage evens out. No major difficulties are expected to disrupt another bunch sprint finish.

Look for Mark Cavendish and HTC-Columbia to make amends for a non-sprint Wednesday as the winner of six Tour stages in 2009 tries to open his account in 2010. Thor Hushovd will be right there to defend his green jersey and search for additional wins himself, while Italy's Alessandro Petacchi clearly has the head and the legs to rank as the strongest sprinter so far this week.

Results:

Stage 4: Cambrai to Reims, 153.5km

1. Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) Lampre in 3 hours 34 minutes and 55 seconds

2. Julian Dean (NZL) Garmin-Transitions   same time

3. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) Team Sky   s.t.

4. Robbie McEwen (AUS) Katusha   s.t.

5. Robbie Hunter (RSA) Garmin-Transitions   s.t.

6. Sébastien Turgot (FRA) Bbox Bouygues Telecom   s.t.

7. Jose Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP) Caisse d'Epargne   s.t.

8. Daniel Oss (ITA) Liquigas   s.t.

9. Thor Hushovd (NOR) Cervélo TestTeam   s.t.

10. Oscar Freire (ESP) Rabobank   s.t.

General classification after stage 4:

1. Fabian Cancellara (SUI) Saxo Bank in 18 hours 28 minutes and 55 seconds

2. Geraint Thomas (GBR) Team Sky   at 23 seconds

3. Cadel Evans (AUS) BMC Racing   39 sec

4. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN) Garmin-Transitions   46 sec

5. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) Quick Step   1 minute 1 sec

6. Andy Schleck (LUX) Saxo Bank   1 min 9 sec

7. Thor Hushovd (NOR) Cervélo TestTeam   1 min 19 sec

8. Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ) Astana   1 min 31 sec

9. Alberto Contador (ESP) Astana   1 min 40

10. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto   1 min 42 sec