Stage four of the Tour of Poland ended with a bunch sprint as Trek Factory Racing safely finishes and looks ahead to the final three decisive stages. The Tour of Poland stage four, the longest stage at 236-kilometers, resulted in no changes in the overall classification as the peloton arrived in one large group to contest another mass sprint.

It was the last day for the sprinters ahead of two challenging stages Thursday and Friday that end with uphill finishes and a final day individual time trial scheduled for Saturday.

The sheer distance of the fourth day was the chief difficulty, and despite various breakaways attempts, too many teams had interest in a sprint finish. With slightly under nine kilometres to go the last breakaway group of five was swallowed and the sprinters’ teams organized on the front. But it was not to be the last escape.

Fabio Felline quickly jumped to a solo attack under the five-kilometer banner, and soon another set of legs added fuel to the escape. The three men held a small advantage over the hard charging peloton, but two kilometers later it was all over. It was a valiant, but impossible effort.

“It was a planned move with Felline at the end, and it was good to see that he stuck with the plan. But on a flat parcours with the peloton going so fast it was going to be difficult. But it was nice to see - it was good to try something,” Director Adriano Baffi said to the Trek website.

It was a wild melee for the last gradual uphill 1500 meters; a last ditch flyer by Thor Hushovd (BMC) threw a wrench into the final plot, but he was caught inside 500 meters, and the ensuing frenzied, free-for-all sprint was a tight skirmish. The first wheel over the line was Jonas Vangenechten (Lotto Belisol), with Jacopo Guarnieri (Astana) and Luka Mezgec (Giant-Shimano) a close second and third.

After four flat stages the Tour of Poland finally turns to the hills for stages five and six, and Trek Factory Racing – patiently biding their time through the first days –  will now focus on winning a stage, and placing well in the overall classification.

“Arredondo should be good for the uphill finishes both days, and then in the final TT will have Kristof [Vandewalle] and Bob [Jungels]. Arredondo will be ready, and we will look to Bob for a good place in the GC - he can also play a joker card in a breakaway. Now the race begins for us – but also for many other teams who have also been waiting for the final three days,” Adriano Baffi finished.