On the 4 Jours de Dunkerque too, riders are fighting for the leader’s pink jersey. On Saturday, after the highly anticipated stage in Cassel, Lewis Askey came close to conquering it. After remarkable work from his teammates in the final hour of racing and through the various hills, the British rider gave his best in the final climb, but had to settle for third place on the day, three seconds behind his fellow countryman and former teammate Sam Watson. The Englishman sits in second place overall, with a similar gap, heading into Sunday’s final stage.
The Groupama-FDJ cycling team was back on familiar ground. It was indeed around Cassel, the site of Valentin Madouas’ French title back in 2023, that the 4 Jours de Dunkerque had their queen stage on Saturday, with not only a cobbled hill on the menu (1.8 km at 4.2%), but also the hard climb of the Porte d’Aire (1 km at 8.5%). The riders had to cover each of these climbs six times, in a fourth stage that promised to be decisive for the general classification. The Cassel circuit was eventually reached after fifty kilometres of racing, but it was only in the third lap that things started to get serious, while the morning breakaway was within reach of the bunch. “It was a hard day,” said Frédéric. “It wasn’t easy to predict the day’s scenario. We knew it was going to be open because not many teams were able to control. The guys were very vigilant in the first part of the race, then the fight started. The peloton stretched out at each lap with the sequence of the steep climb and the cobbled hill, which made for a lively race”. Many moves occurred entering the final fifty kilometres, while Lewis Askey, wearing the green jersey, could still rely on Thibaud Gruel, Cyril Barthe, and Johan Jacobs in a small peloton.
“I have to thank the team for trusting me”, Lewis Askey
With two laps to go, barely forty riders were still in contention for the stage. The British rider and Thibaud Gruel occasionally followed the attacks, while their two teammates tried to control the peloton when necessary. “We couldn’t focus entirely on the final climb,” explained Frédéric. “Lewis was trying to save energy for it, but he was forced to go in some moves at times.” Despite a very aggressive race, no group managed to go clear before the last lap. Only Sam Maisonobe and Ben Swift were able to gain a lead on the final loop, with Groupama-FDJ still pulling in the peloton. “Zingle crashed out and Lewis was the virtual leader,” explained Frédéric. “We took our responsibilities to close the gap with the breakaway on the last lap. Johan and Cyril did a very good work”. “We took control again today, and as I’ve said in the past days, that gives me a lot of confidence,” added Lewis Askey. After a final turn from Cyril Barthe, a peloton of around thirty riders tackle the final climb of the Porte d’Aire, fifteen seconds behind the breakaway. Maisonobe pushed on until the last 300 metres, but the favorites then accelerated from behind, especially Lewis Askey.
“I was maybe a little too excited,” said the Englishman. “I was really confident, and I felt pretty good during the race. I should have maybe waited until the really steep part to push, but the road was very narrow, and I was scared of getting boxed in. I thought that if I made the effort, I was sure I could give it my all.” However, Sam Watson counterattacked straight away, and didn’t give away the lead in the last 200 metres. Lewis Askey tried to hold the wheel until the line but was forced to give up three seconds at the finish, taking third place in the process. “I maybe used a little too much energy in the middle of the race, which could have cost me at the end, but honestly, I think I was just beaten by a stronger guy today,” said Lewis. “I have to thank the team for trusting me, but I’m a bit disappointed not to pay the boys back with another victory and taking the jersey. But I gave it my all, and I don’t have any regrets because we rode very well as we needed to”.
“We needed to be strong as a team today, and we were”, Frédéric Guesdon
Thibaud Gruel also took ninth place on the day, eight seconds behind. “They did their best to get the best possible result,” Frédéric said. “Everyone fought for the same goal, and everyone played an important role today. We needed to be strong as a team today, and we were. Unfortunately, we got beaten by a former rider of ours! It won’t be easy to turn things around now, but nothing is impossible, and we’ll study our strategy for tomorrow.” The three seconds recorded at the finish line this Saturday also separate Lewis Askey from first place in the general classification on the eve of the final stage in Dunkirk. “We will fight until the end,” the Briton concluded.
