Belgian pips Julian Alaphilippe to take lead and stage fourBritish rider Ethan Hayter sits just 2sec behind Van AertThe duel between Wout van Aert and Julian Alaphilippe at the Tour of
Britain has gone decisively the way of the Belgian in the first half of the race but, although Van Aert took his second stage win in four days atop the Great Orme peninsula at Llandudno, regaining the race lead, the Frenchman ran him close and a repeat of his 2018 overall win is tantalisingly within reach.
Not far behind the pair thanks to a mature display of controlled riding, the 22-year-old Londoner Ethan Hayter came within a whisker of retaining his overall lead at the toughest finish of the race. With only a 2sec deficit to Van Aert he has a chance of snatching it back on Thursday’s run through Cheshire.