Being one of 8 teams to have missed the break, Team NetApp-Endura tried to get back in contention in today's stage of the Criterium du Dauphiné as they were the only ones showing any interest in trying to catch the escapees. In the end, they failed in their attempt and so lost all chances of a good result.

After an attack on the final climb, Russian rider Yuri Trofimov (Team Katusha) triumphed in today's fourth stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné as a solo attacker ahead of his fellow breakaway riders Gustav Erik Larsson (IAM Cycling) and Pim Ligthart (Lotto Belisol). All three riders formed part of a 13-man leader group, which formed during the 21st kilometer. NetApp – Endura captain Leo König completed the 169.5-kilometer long section from Montélimar to Gap in the same time as the favorite in the overall rankings and now lies in sixteenth place overall.

"A lot of teams wanted to get into the group today. We were also involved in a lot of attempts, but unfortunately failed to make the leap into the decisive group. But the team then worked very hard to ensure Leo was in a good position for the final mountain. This worked out well and no time was lost in the overall rankings. So at the end of the day it's just a shame we weren't represented in the group. Otherwise, we'd have had the chance to get a real result today", said Enrico Poitschke, Sport Director at Team NetApp – Endura, summing up the day.

After the start in Montélimar, today's stage took riders directly in an easterly direction. Although the stretch was constantly uphill right up until shortly before the first crossing of the finish line, there was only one category-four mountain classification in the first section of the course. The finale proved much more selective, since in the 25-kilometer final lap riders had to tackle the Col de Manse, which is well known for its technically tricky descent. As expected, today's section was defined by a large leader group, which this time comprised thirteen riders. Behind them, the team of the overall leader monitored the proceedings with the help of Team NetApp – Endura. However, today the favorites relinquished closing the gap in the final stretch and let the breakaway riders get away. Thus the classification riders were able to tackle the far from benign descent of Col de Manse with contained risk and were not compromised by the battle for the day's victory.

Tomorrow will see the tour's second-longest stage of 184 kilometers. The final stretch in La Mure is considered particularly treacherous, but the rest of the stage, with a total of six category-two and category-three mountain classifications, is anything but straightforward, although it should give the mountain-hardy all-rounders a chance.