Along the Valley Road
Stage four featured the largest break away group thus far in the Dauphine. After several different groups attempted to get away (all were pulled back because they were too high up on the GC) this group established itself with a maximum of almost four minutes on the peloton and the Yellow Jersey. Some of those represented included the best placed on GC, Yury Trofimov (Katusha) along with Christian Meier (Orica GreenEdge), Andriy Grivko (Astana), Damiano Caruso (Cannondale) and Jan Bakelants (OPQS). Once the group hit the road into Gap ahead of the final climb up the Col du Manse, the peloton ramped up its speed in order to position the favorites for the coming ascent. This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from the Jack Richeson Company, www.richesonart.com