“Olav Kooij Wins Stage 4 of Four Days of Dunkirk as Benjamin Thomas Loses Pink Jersey to Kasper Asgreen”

Dutchman Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma) won the fourth stage of the Four Days of Dunkirk in Achicourt in a sprint on Friday. The Frenchman Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis) had to give up his pink jersey as leader of the general classification in favor of the Dane Kasper Asgreen (Soudal-Quick Step).

During a day punctuated by crossing several cobbled sections, Kooij (Jumbo-Visma) sprinted ahead of two Belgians, Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty Gobert) and Milan Fretin (Flanders-Baloise). Already winner of the 1^re stage on Tuesday, the 21-year-old Dutchman confirms his status as the best sprinter in the race, in the absence of Belgian Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Dstny), who fell heavily on Tuesday and left the event with several fractures.

Benjamin Thomas fell

Leader since his victory Thursday on the 3^e stage, a time trial in Saint-Quentin (Aisne), the pink jersey Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis) suffered a fall and found himself in the wrong group at a time when the peloton split in two. He is no longer even in the top 10 of the general classification. Previously runner-up to the French overall, the Dane Kasper Asgreen, who finished at the same time as Olav Kooij, is the new leader of the race.

The queen stage of this stage race will be held this Saturday (24 hours before the finish) between Roubaix and Cassel (North). This will see the runners tackle the cobbled slopes of Mont-Cassel several times.