Eneco Tour Stage 4 ITT: Alaphilippe in Top 30, Terpstra Suffers Bad Luck

Eneco Tour Stage 4 ITT: Alaphilippe in Top 30, Terpstra Suffers Bad Luck

Etixx - Quick-Step rider Julian Alaphilippe finished 27th (+41") in the 13.9km Stage 4 ITT of Eneco Tour, on Thursday in Hoogerheide, while teammate Yves Lampaert was also 31st (44"). Unfortunately for Niki Terpstra, bad luck involving a puncture, as well as a mechanical, caused significant time loss for the Dutch rider who was hoping to do well in the time trial.

Jos Van Emden (LottoNL - Jumbo) won the stage with a time of 16'34", averaging 50.342 kilometers per hour. Wilco Kelderman (LottoNL - Jumbo) finished 2nd (+05"), and Adriano Malori (Movistar) was 3rd (+07"). 

Van Emden will be the leader of the race going into the 5th Stage. Alaphilippe and Lampaert are the top riders in the overall classification for Etixx - Quick-Step up to this point of Eneco Tour, in 26th (+41") and 28th (+44") place, respectively. 

The next two stages will also be crucial for the overall classification.  First is the 179.6km 5th Stage on Friday. There are 23 climbs in total to ascend from Riemst to Sittard-Geleen, with several of the climbs having featured in Amstel Gold Race. There is a two-lap finishing circuit of 22.4km each lap. The 6th stage, 208.6km from Heerlen to Houffalize, is another up-and-down affair, as the peloton will pass 18 climbs.

"I feel good," Alaphilippe said. "I'm taking it day-by-day here. Our goal here was to get a victory. We already got that with Tom winning the sprint yesterday. For me it is day-by-day, and I think I did well today. It was a parcours for the specialists, so it doesn't necessarily suit my skills. The last 5 kilometers it was a head wind. That made it even harder. But considering everything I am happy with my performance. Starting tomorrow it's a new race, as the general classification changed with the TT, but the next two days will be hard. It will be a fresh start for us now."