Etoile de Bessèges: Samuel Leroux holds off charging field to win stage 4

Samuel Leroux celebrates at finish line as stage winner at 54th Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)

The stage 4 breakaway of Samuel Leroux, Leo Danes, Jonas Iversby Hvideberg, Dries De Bondt and Stefan Bissegger at Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)

The stage 4 breakaway of Samuel Leroux, Leo Danes, Jonas Iversby Hvideberg, Dries De Bondt and Stefan Bissegger at Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)

The stage 4 breakaway of Samuel Leroux, Leo Danes, Jonas Iversby Hvideberg, Dries De Bondt and Stefan Bissegger at Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)

A general view of the peloton passing through a bridge during the 54th Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)

A general view of the peloton competing during stage 4 at Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)

Point leader Benoit Cosnefroy assisted by the team car during stage 4 at Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)

Tim Declercq leads the peloton during stage 4 at Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)

Stefan Bissegger and Dries De Bondt compete in the breakaway during stage 4 at the Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)

Simon Carr attacks during stage 4 at Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)

Valentin Retailleau attacks during stage 4 at Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)

Mads Pedersen of Denmark and Team Lidl-Trek wears the orange leader's Jersey on stage 4 at Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)

Samuel Leroux leads the break during stage 4 at 54th Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)

Samuel Leroux cross the finish line to win the the fourth stage of the 54nd Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)

French rider Samuel Leroux celebrates on the podium after winning the fourth stage of the 54nd Etoile de Besseges (Image credit: Getty Images)

Samuel Leroux surprised the big-name riders and overall contenders at the Etoile de Bessèges, winning stage 4 to Méjannes-le-Clap from the early break of the day.

The Van Rysel–Roubaix rider dug deep on the climb to the finish to close a gap, hold off the peloton and win the four-rider sprint.

Leroux beat Dries De Bondt (Decathlon Ag2r), Stefan Bissegger (EF Education-EasyPost) Jonas Hvideberg and Jonas Iversby Hvideberg (both Uno-X Mobility).

Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility) won the sprint behind for fifth place, just two seconds down on a tired but happy Leroux.

Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) finished in the chase group and so retained the overall race lead, with just Sunday’s 10.6km individual time trial around Alès to race. He leads Axel Laurance (Alpecin-Deceuninck) by just six seconds, with eight other riders within 28 seconds.

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