Stage 4: Havrda can be beaten :: La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc

Of course he does concede only 9 seconds to the winner of the day, the Slovak Milos Gonda, however, it has the merit to show that Havrda is not invincible. And that in itself is an event, as the Czech had previously flown over the competition. This stage, raced like the previous in ideal conditions, led to a demonstration of the defending champion. After two stages on which he was dominated by Jean-Philippe Pontier, the Slovak regains nearly 6 minutes on the French which clearly consolidates his second place. With nearly twenty minutes ahead, Milos can now stop looking behind him to concentrate on the first place.

Behind the solid leading trio, the performance of the day is to the credit of the Swedish Jimmy Pettersson who takes the fourth place in this stage. The Scandinavian feels better and better in this race. He explained this morning: "My dogs are very pleased to be here, they love the race." The progression of Pettersson is impressive and perfectly linear: 7th of the 1st stage, sixth of the 2nd stage, fifth in the third and fourth of the fourth stage. Will the fifth stage be end of this impressive serie or the confirmation of the rise of the only rookie of the eighth edition of La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc.

The fourth day of racing was also the first day of the Trophée Grande Odyssée, first edition, which develops on the same format as the Trophée Haute Maurienne: 3 days of racing with a stage of about 50 km per day. The Swiss Marc Tercier, who could not do better than third last year in the Haute Maurienne Vanoise Trophy he won in 2010, struck a blow by taking the lead right from the first stage. Only François Pagnoux the Pyrenean manages to resist him by conceding only one minute and a half. All others are relegated to more than 18 minutes. Those two post a time sign that would have place them on the 8th rank of La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc. A first stage that has highlighted a number of very good teams who could try quickly and next year for some, the big sister of the Trophée, la Grand Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc.

Photos Clotilde Richalet