UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s Tim Wellens Takes Tour of Britain Lead

On the Queen stage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain, UAE Team Emirates-XRG delivered an outstanding display to launch Tim Wellens into the race lead. The Belgian claimed second place in Leyburn and now takes the green jersey into Sunday’s final stage.

Stage 4 of the 22nd Tour of Britain was always going to be the toughest day of racing, but the Emirati squad ensured it would be extra challenging by forcing the pace of the peloton all afternoon.

Thanks to his teammates’ efforts, Wellens was able to launch a devastating move with 42.8km of the stage remaining. The former Belgian national champion mopped up the remainder of the breakaway and eventually rode to the line alongside Cees Bol of Decathlon CMA CGM. Bol took the stage honours, as Wellens fought all the way to extend his advantage over the race leader, Lewis Askey (NSN Cycling Team).

Askey had taken a 12-second advantage over Wellens into Saturday’s stage, and had shown tremendous form in winning stage 1. However, Wellens’ display in the Yorkshire Dales was enough to topple Askey from the top of the standings, with the UAE Team Emirates-XRG man now heading into stage 5 with a 21-second buffer to the now-second-placed Askey.

Earlier on stage 4, a breakaway of half a dozen riders had headed up the road from the start town of Helmsley. As the afternoon drew on, their lead over the peloton hovered at the three-minute mark, as NSN Cycling Team looked to control affairs on behalf of Askey.

Though the script would be ripped up by UAE Team Emirates-XRG on the Greenhow Bank climb (3.3km at 7.9%). Here, Mikkel Bjerg rampaged to the front of the bunch and began setting a fearsome pace, in a bid to fatigue Askey and the other general classification contenders.

The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider will now head into the final stage with the full support of his teammates, as they look to win the Tour of Britain for the first time.