4 Jours de Dunkerque: Laurence Pithie secures overall as teammate Jordi Meeus sprints to victory on stage 5

Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe dominated the final day of the 4 Jours de Dunkerque, with Jordi Meeus claiming victory in the sprint finish of stage 5, while his teammate Laurence Pithie secured the overall general classification win. Meeus benefited from a perfectly timed lead-out by Danny Van Poppel, who also managed to finish second on the stage. The race concluded with a bunch sprint after the peloton reeled in a breakaway during the final laps on the Dunkerque circuit, with Gianluca Pollefliet of Decathlon CMA CGM completing the podium. Laurence Pithie’s overall triumph marked a significant milestone in his career, as he maintained the race lead from the opening stage in Laon through to the finish. Despite facing several challenges, including a crash early on stage 5, a puncture requiring a bike change within the last five kilometres, and being caught behind another crash in the finale, Pithie showed resilience and tactical acumen to protect his lead. His closest rivals were Natnael Tesfazion of Movistar, who finished seven seconds behind, and Rasmus Tiller of Uno-X Mobility, who was 11 seconds adrift. Reflecting on the demanding final stage, Pithie acknowledged the difficulties he endured, including the crashes and mechanical issues that tested his endurance and concentration. He praised his team’s efforts and expressed satisfaction with Meeus’s stage win, though he modestly noted he did not contribute directly to the sprint. Looking ahead, Pithie revealed he would not be participating in this year’s Tour de France, opting instead to take July to recover and recuperate from the physical toll of the race and his recent crash injuries. The race itself unfolded under hot conditions, with 104 riders contesting the 181.3km stage that featured multiple laps of the traditional Dunkerque circuit. Early breakaway attempts were closely monitored by the peloton, with teams such as Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe and Tudor controlling the pace to set up a sprint finish. The final kilometres saw intense positioning battles and a high-speed lead-out, culminating in Meeus’s well-timed sprint to the line, underscoring the strength and tactical cohesion of the Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe squad throughout the event.