Tour de Yorkshire: Stephane Rossetto wins stage with storming solo attack, Greg van Avermaet takes the overall

Greg Van Avermaet has won the fourth edition of the Tour de Yorkshire, leading the chasing group home in Leeds this afternoon where Cofidis rider Stephane Rossetto claimed victory on the final stage after a storming solo ride.

BMC Racing rider Van Avermaet had been second overall at the start of today’s 189.5-kilometre stage from Halifax, the toughest in the race’s four-year history with no fewer than six categorised climbs.

Rossetto attacked on the fourth of those, which in line with the spirit of the race carried the Franco-Yorkshire hybrid name the Côte du Park Rash, tackled 77 kilometres into the stage and remained out alone for 120 kilometres to take a memorable victory.

Olympic champion Van Avermaet, the pre-race favourite, had said ahead of today’s final stage that he believed not being in the race lead would play to his advantage and so it proved as his BMC Racing team got Brent Bookwalter into the early break.

That meant that Astana, the team defending the leader’s jersey worn this morning by Magnus Cort Nielsen, were forced to do the chasing and with the tough parcours sapping their strength, the Dane was isolated and ultimately distanced.

Eduardo Prades of Euskadi-Murias finished second overall, with the podium completed by defending champion Serge Pauwels of Dimension Data.