Hagen takes Tour of Britain stage

Edvald Boasson Hagen claimed his fifth victory of the season

Norway's Edvald Boasson Hagen won the fourth stage of the Tour of Britain in dramatic fashion in Stoke.

The Team Columbia rider pipped Giairo Ermeti at the line despite trailing going into the uphill finish.

Agritubel's Geoffroy Lequarte claimed the yellow jersey, taking advantage of team-mate Emilien Berges's puncture.

Great Britain's Steve Cummings moved up to second overall, Ben Swift took over in the King of the Mountains, and Roger Hammond leads the points competition.

It was Boasson Hagen's fifth stage win of the season, and he was delighted with the victory especially after the tense finish.

He said: "It was a close race - I knew the finish was uphill so I just pushed as hard as I could.

"I was lucky after running wide on the final turn but I managed to hold on and get across the line in front.

"I wasn't sure when to go for the line but I heard Roger Hammond shouting 'Go, go', so I did.

"This is my fifth win of the year and it feels great. I hope this will give me great confidence ahead of the World Road Race Championships in Italy at the end of this month."

Elsewhere LPR Brakes' Danilo di Luca took third with Dean Downing the leading Brit in sixth.

Swift eventually finished the stage 31st but was more than happy to take top spot in the King of the Mountains competition, the title he won in last year's race.

He said: "It was a great day for me - I planned from the start to make sure I was in the first break of the day and I managed to get in there.

"This year is following the same pattern as last year and I'll be going into my home stage (Hull to Dalby Forest) with the King of the Mountains jersey.

"It's working out really well and I'm just focusing on the King of the Mountains now.

"I could have grabbed a stage win as well, which would have been fantastic, but my legs had gone at that stage but I'm happy with the jersey I'm in."

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Tour of Britain stage four results:

1 Edval Boasson Hagen (Norway) Team Columbia 3hrs 36 mins 11secs

2 Giairo Ermeti (Ita) LPR Brakes, at same time

3 Danilo di Luca (Ita) LPR Brakes, at 4secs

4 Julian Dean (NZ) Garmin, at same time

5 Kristof Goddaert (Bel) Topsport, at same time

6 Dean Downing (GB) Rapha-Condor, at 7 secs

7 Steve Cummings (GB) Barloworld, at same time

8 Daniel Lloyd (GB) An Post, at 9 secs

9 Geoffroy Lequarte (Fra) Agritubel, at same time

10 Matthew Goss (Aus) Team CSC-Saxo Bank, at same time

Selected others:

11 Roger Hammond (GB) Team Columbia, at 12secs

23 Ian Stannard (GB) Great Britain, at same time

30 Jonny Bellis (GB) Team CSC-Saxo Bank, at same time

31 Ben Swift (GB) Great Britain, at 21secs

32 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) LPR Brakes, at same time

48 Rob Hayles (GB) Great Britain, at 1min 8secs

55 Emilien Berges (Fra) Agritubel, at 1min 13secs

65 David Millar (GB) Garmin, at 1min 32secs

68 Bradley Wiggins (GB) Team Columbia, at 1min 42secs

76 Geraint Thomas (GB) Barloworld, at 2mins 15secs

General classification (after four stages):

1 Geoffroy Lequarte (Fra) Agritubel 13hrs 43mins 6secs

2 Steve Cummings (GB) Barloworld, at 6secs

3 Gabriele Bosisio (Ita) LPR Brakes, at 10secs

4 Ian Stannard (GB) Great Britain, at 11 secs

5 Daniel Fleeman (GB) An Post, at 13secs

6 Benny de Schrooder (Bel) An Post, at 14secs

7 Daniel Martin (Ire) Garmin, at same time

8 Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Topsport, at 23secs

9 Emilien Berges (Fra) Agritubel, at 35secs

10 Giairo Ermeti (Ita) LPR Brakes, at 1min 3secs

Selected others:

12 Roger Hammond (GB) Team Columbia, at 1min 40secs

15 Jonny Bellis(GB) Team CSC-Saxo, at 1min 49secs

38 Ben Swift (GB) Great Britain, at 12mins 51secs

48 Rob Hayles(GB) Great Britain, at 13 mins 34secs

62 David Millar (GB) Garmin, at 14mins 6secs

71 Geraint Thomas (GB) Barloworld, at 14mins 49secs

75 Bradley Wiggins (GB) Team Columbia, at 15mins 2secs