The 2025 edition of the 4 Jours de Dunkerque are underway, and as expected, the first of the week’s five stages concluded with a bunch sprint in Amiens on Wednesday. Like the day before in the “Classique Dunkerque,” Matthew Walls managed to get into the mix and secured another top-10 finish (8th). Unfortunately, Olivier Le Gac was forced to withdraw from the race after a crash in the final kilometre.
On the opening stage of the 4 Jour de Dunkerque, this Wednesday, the bunch had to cover 178 kilometers heading towards Amiens, where a finishing circuit was to be completed three times. Overall, the stage didn’t include any major difficulties, but a six-man breakaway still gave the peloton a hard time throughout the day. “The break was made of strong riders, and there was also a tailwind for a large part of the stage, especially in the final,” explained Frédéric Guesdon. “The peloton initially gave them four minutes, but there were only two teams to lead the chase. When the breakaway got going, they gained time, and things started to heat up with sixty kilometres to go. The pace increased quite a lot.” At the first time on the finish line, around twenty kilometres from the finish, the peloton was still a minute and a half behind. A lap later, however, the gap was reduced to about thirty seconds, and everything came back together with six kilometres to go. “We thought the fight would be even closer, but it was a great, fast day,” commented Frédéric.
“Matt was a bit boxed in”, Frédéric Guesdon.
The peloton then stretched out on the uphill section of the circuit, but the fight between the lead-out trains resumed in the final three kilometres. “We knew it would come down to a sprint and we decided to work for Matt,” added Frédéric. “We had a plan to help him position as good as possible, but that’s never easy to execute in racing. They tried, especially Olivier in the final two kilometres. Matt wasn’t too far at the flamme rouge, but he got a bit boxed in on the final straight, which often happens in hectic sprints, and even more so on a false flat descent”. The British rider ultimately managed to grab eighth place, even though he wasn’t able to really go for it. Axel Zingle won this first stage and took the leader’s jersey. “Lewis and Thibaud are within the winner’s time, and the goal was also to save energy today in anticipation of Friday and Saturday, where the overall standings will be decided,” concluded Frédéric. “The day’s bad news is Olivier’s abandon as he crashed 900 metres from the finish and is suffering a collarbone injury.”
Frédéric Guesdon’s men will therefore set off as a six-man team on Thursday, heading towards Crépy-en-Valois.
