Weather
sunny, very warm again, brisk crosswinds

Stage winner
Robbie McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto), 4:59:50, 41.423kph – McEwen earned his second win in three days to make it an even Tour 10 on his career. Second-place Isaac Galvez (Caisse d’Epargne) shook up a late crash to finish second, but was no match for McEwen’s top-end speed. Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) was relegated for dangerous sprinting.

Race leader
Tom Boonen (Quick Step-Innergetic), 19:52:13, 42.445kph – The world champion could only muster a disappointing fifth in the sprint, but he retained his one-second lead to Michael Rogers (T-Mobile).

Stage 4 by the numbers

Green jersey
McEwen grabbed back the lead with 100 points to Boonen’s 89 points. Hushovd’s relegation could prove fatal to the defending green jersey winner, who slipped from what should have been third at 86 points to 5th at 62 points.

King of the Mountains
Jerome Pineau (Bouygues Telecom) led the way over the day’s toughest climb at the Cat. 3 Cote de Peu d’Eau at 13km to retain the polka-dot jersey. David de la Fuente (Saunier Duval-Prodir) and Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner) both chase to remain second and third with 17 and 14, respectively.

Best Young Rider
German prospect Markus Fothen (Gerolsteiner) finished safely in the bunch to retain his lead to Benoit Vaugrenard (FDJeux).

Best team
Davitamon-Lotto was the best team on the stage with Discovery Channel retaining its one-second lead over Team CSC in the overall.

Most aggressive rider
Egoi Martinez (Discovery Channel) won the day’s honors after slipping away in the day’s five-man breakaway.

Lanterne Rouge
Magnus Bäckstedt (Liquigas), 172nd at 29:09.

The peloton
172 riders, no abandons

Medical report
Unai Extebarria (Euskaltel) cuts to left thighPeter Weening (Rabobank) cuts to the back of right legJimmy Casper (Cofidis) minor digestive problemsSebastian Joly (FDJeux) persistent back painIsaac Galvez (Caisse d’Epargne) superficial cuts and scrapesJulian Dean (Credit Agricole) cuts to right thigh and leg

Jury decisions
Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) fined 200 Swiss francs and relegated from 4th to 148th place after irregular sprintJulian Dean (Credit Agricole) and David de la Fuente (Saunier Duval) both fined 200 SF for incorrect behavior in sprintWalter Beneteau (Bouygues Telecom) fined 200 SF for getting in the line of another riderRobbie Hunter (Phonak) fined 100 SF for missing sign-inAfter reviewing tape from Tuesday’s stage, Sandy Casar (FDJeux), who was initially given the same time as the front group after crashing within the last 3km, saw 22 seconds added to his time.

Forecast
Increasing clouds with slight chance of afternoon thunderstorms, with temperatures cooling into the mid- to high-80s.