Victor Vercouillie wins as breakaway surprises again atop Col du VAM on Eneco Tour stage 4

Victor Vercouillie (Flanders-Baloise) powered to victory from the breakaway on stage 4 of the Eneco Tour atop the Col du VAM ahead of Ceriel Desal (Soudal Quick-Step) and Tars Poelvoorde (Lotto-Intermarché).

With multiple ascents of the punchy and cobbled Col du VAM, stage 4 presented the opportunity for some of the strongest puncheurs to come to the fore. 

Twelve months ago, it was Timo de Jong who took a surprise victory from the breakaway atop the climb, and once again the breakaway would have their fun on the VAM-Berg ascent. This time around, the five-rider breakaway featured Poelvoorde, Desal, Vercouillie, Rick Ottema (EEW-VDK Cyclingteam) and Julian Vergouw (Metec-Solarwatt p/b Mantel).

The leaders were playing a game of poker inside the final kilometre as the breakaway closed in. 

Desal was the first to launch, before Vercouillie countered with a move that caught the others off guard, and he had enough time to celebrate an emotional first professional win, pointing to the sky to remember his father who passed away this year.

Meanwhile, Victor Campenaerts (Visma | Lease a Bike) finished ninth, in the peloton, twelve seconds behind the stage winner, to maintain the GC lead ahead of Sunday's final stage.

Stage 4 was to be raced in inclement weather conditions for the most part and eventually a five-rider group would break clear, including Poelvoorde, Desal, Vercouillie, Ottema and Vergouw.

Through the first passage of the finish line with 41km remaining, the breakaway held an advantage of 50 seconds over the peloton. That advantage expanded over the next lap, leaving the quintet with an advantage of 1:30.

Not much had changed by the time they reached the bell lap with 13km remaining, as the leaders still had an advantage of around 1:30 despite an attack from Finn Fisher-Black (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) on the penultimate ascent. 

Fisher-Black’s attack threatened to split the peloton, but race leader Campenaerts was well placed alongside his Visma teammates. 

Inside the closing kilometres, Visma were in control at the head of the peloton, but it seemed the Dutch team were playing a more defensive role with the GC picture in mind, rather than leading an all-out chase of the breakaway, who would contest the stage honours.

Vercouillie took his chance to win for his father.