Jack Bauer out front in the Tour of Britain

Jack Bauer ©RoadCycling.co.nz

Sep 15th, 11. Jack Bauer had some great training for the World Championships when the Kiwi rode off the front of the Tour of Britain peloton for over 150km in today's Stage 4.

Julian Dean, the other Kiwi in this tour, also had a confidence boosting ride.

Before the start of this tour, Bauer, who is in fantastic form thanks in part to two periods at altitude, told RoadCycling.co.nz he was not targeting any particular stage, but would look for opportunities to take his chances.

He did not look long today.

Within the first 20min, Bauer and the Sprint Classification leader attacked the field.  They became a trio when another rider bridged to them before they quickly worked to gain a solid gap on the rest of the peloton.

Bauer's group had a 5m40s gap before Team Sky decided it was time to up the pace and reel them in.

As the time gap came down, Bauer climbed strongly up the 7km Cat 1 Brecon Beacons, the highest point of the tour, to earn maximum KOM points.

The trio still had a 2min lead at the last sprint line with 30km left to ride in the 184km stage but with a peloton motivated for a sprint finish, and the subsequent bonus points, they were pulled back 10km before the line.

In the final metres it was the current World Champion Thor Hushovd (Garmin Cervelo) who had the best kick - thanks to a great Julian Dean leadout - ahead of 2nd placed Lars Boom (Rabobank) who kept the tour leader's jersey.

Dean had moved Hushovd up through the peloton and into the all important lead position heading into the final corner where the Norwegian took off from the rest of the field. He had enough of a gap to raise his arms in victory before he crossed the line.

Dean is riding the road race for New Zealand at the UCI Road World Championships which starts in Copenhagen, Denmark next week while Bauer is contesting both the road race and the time trial events.

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