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Tour de France 2014: stage four – five observations

Giant-Shimano and Marcel Kittel win again but it's back to the drawing board for Andre Greipel

It would not be the Tour de France without Thomas Voeckler launching a solo break, gurning for the cameras and the French fans in an impossible bid for stage success.

Thomas Voeckler went for a long solo dig after former breakaway companion Luis Leon Mate suffered a mechanical (pic: Bruno Bade/ASO)

He has already tried to join a break once, a short-lived move alongside Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) aming others on stage two.

And he wasted little time attacking in his home country, going clear with Luis Mate and telling him they would be going all out for the win, despite the improbable odds. His plan did not work out, Mate twice suffering mechanicals to leave Voeckler on his own up the road.

But the Frenchman was straight into his stride once he realised his former breakaway companion would not be rejoining him up the road.

Taking the shouts and cheers from his home fans, it was vintage Voeckler. Winner of the polka dot jersey in 2012, his day’s exploits also saw him chart his third King of the Mountains point of this year too.

His first break of this year’s race may well have ended without victory, but you can bet he will he back up the road again soon in the days to come.

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