Four Days of Dunkirk 2008

The Four Days of Dunkirk is a six day stage race held in the Calias region of northern France from May 6 to 11.

AFP report: Stephane Auge of Cofidis claimed the leader's pink jersey, and victory in the first stage of the Four Days of Dunkirk after stunning the top sprinters..

Auge and fellow Frenchman Clement Lhotellerie broke away from the main peloton, including sprint heavyweights such as German Erik Zabel and Norwegian Thor Hushovd, at the 72km mark and never looked back.

After building a lead which hit a maximum of 8min 30sec, Auge and Lhotellerie's collaboration worked well and by the time the peloton reacted their efforts came far too late.

By the time the gap the chasers had brought the gap to just over two and a half minutes, Auge had broken ahead of Lhotellerie to claim the win.

At 2:36 adrift, Germany's Sebastian Siedler won the bunch sprint for third place ahead of Australian Mark Renshaw, with Belgian Tour de France stage winner Gert Stegmans in fifth.

Wednesday's 192.2km stage is held between Henin-Beaumont and Cateau-Cambresis.

1 52 AUGE Stéphane COF FRA B:18" 00"
2 125 LHOTELLERIE Clément SKS FRA B:13" 01"
3 127 SIEDLER Sebastian SKS GER B:04" 02'36"
4 67 RENSHAW Mark C.A AUS ' '
5 46 STEEGMANS Gert QST BEL ' '
6 25 ROELANDTS Jurgen SIL BEL ' '
7 61 BONNET William C.A FRA ' '
8 108 ROJAS GIL Jose Joaquin GCE ESP ' '
9 103 DRUJON Mathieu GCE FRA B:02" ' '
10 4 MEERSMAN Gianni FDJ BEL ' '
11 94 NAZON Jean-Patrick ALM FRA ' '
12 82 CIOLEK Gerald THR GER ' '
13 142 DE HAES Kenny TSV BEL ' '
14 14 MARTIAS Rony BTL FRA ' '
15 45 VIGANO Davide QST ITA ' '
16 26 SENTJENS Roy SIL BEL ' '
17 85 HAMMOND Roger THR GBR ' '
18 102 COYOT Arnaud GCE FRA ' '
19 195 MOUCHERAUD Paul RLM FRA ' '
20 6 MONNERAIS Cyrille FDJ FRA ' '
21 154 CAPPELLE Andy LAN BEL ' '
22 167 MAASKANT Martijn TSL NED ' '
23 158 STEELS Tom LAN BEL ' '
24 42 GRABOVSKYY Dmytro QST UKR ' '
25 1 GERARD Arnaud FDJ FRA ' '

General Classification
1 52 AUGE Stéphane COF FRA 4h24'21" 00"
2 125 LHOTELLERIE Clément SKS FRA 4h24'27" 06"
3 127 SIEDLER Sebastian SKS GER 4h27'11" 02'50"
4 103 DRUJON Mathieu GCE FRA 4h27'13" 02'52"
5 54 DUCLOS-LASSALLE Hervé COF FRA 4h27'14" 02'53"
6 67 RENSHAW Mark C.A AUS 4h27'15" 02'54"
7 46 STEEGMANS Gert QST BEL ' ' ' '
8 25 ROELANDTS Jurgen SIL BEL ' ' ' '
9 61 BONNET William C.A FRA ' ' ' '
10 108 ROJAS GIL Jose Joaquin GCE ESP ' ' ' '
11 4 MEERSMAN Gianni FDJ BEL ' ' ' '
12 94 NAZON Jean-Patrick ALM FRA ' ' ' '
13 82 CIOLEK Gerald THR GER ' ' ' '
14 142 DE HAES Kenny TSV BEL ' ' ' '
15 14 MARTIAS Rony BTL FRA ' ' ' '
16 45 VIGANO Davide QST ITA ' ' ' '
17 26 SENTJENS Roy SIL BEL ' ' ' '
18 85 HAMMOND Roger THR GBR ' ' ' '
19 102 COYOT Arnaud GCE FRA ' ' ' '
20 195 MOUCHERAUD Paul RLM FRA ' ' ' '
21 6 MONNERAIS Cyrille FDJ FRA ' ' ' '
22 154 CAPPELLE Andy LAN BEL ' ' ' '
23 167 MAASKANT Martijn TSL NED ' ' ' '
24 158 STEELS Tom LAN BEL ' ' ' '
25 42 GRABOVSKYY Dmytro QST UKR ' ' ' '

Stages
May 6 Stage 1 - Dunkerque – Roost Warendin (179kms)
May 7 Stage 2 - Hénin Beaumont – Le Cateau Cambrésis (192kms)
May 8 Stage 3 - Le Cateau Cambrésis – Saint Quentin (193kms)
May 9 Stage 4 - Wasquehal - Calais (193kms)
May 10 Stage 5 - Calais – Sangatte Cap Blanc Nez (179,kms)
May 11 Stage 6 - Dunkerque « Kursaal » – Dunkerque « Centre » (128kms)