Its the first mountain stage! Admittedly, a downhill finish - and its not the most mountainous of final climbs, but regardless - its the first real opportunity for the GC contenders to create some gaps.
After his Stage 3 win, Sagan is best placed overall - but the standout GC favourite remains Eastman, while Scarponi is well placed to aim to continue Wiggle's supreme race.
Pinot will fly the French flag and Betancourt could also threaten.
Once again, the early breakaway attempt is a very popular option.
Gee, Antunes, Quaade, Schwarmes, Hayakawa, Albourdainy, Klemme, Viennet, Landa, Mkrtehyan, Vesely make up the first 11, but more have joined them by the time of the first intermediate sprint.
Hayakawa wins it ahead of Viennet and Vesely.
They are all caught though, and as we approach the first climb two riders have a 2 minute lead - and they are both Division 2 riders!
Its Mkrtehyan and Zmorka.
But as we go further up the climb, they receive company. Othman, Rowsell and Maxime La Lavandier.
And unfortuantely, the two D2 riders can't keep up over the top - as La Lavandier takes the summit first.
Its revenge for Rowsell at the intermediate sprint
And that sprint actually drops Othman. The Malaysian cant make it back. They descend downwards towards the 2nd KoM, where La Lavandier wins again.
Wikipedia and Cal Giant have been pacing the peloton, but as we hit a small uphill rise inbetween the 2nd and 3rd climbs, there are attacks! Kwiatkowski goes first, followed by Domont.
But Eastman immediately counters aswell! Everybody else must react now, and they do: Pinot, Elissonde, Scarponi and Sagan
As the attacks settle out, the 2 leaders are caught. Theres a group of 6 with 40 seconds advantage approaching the main climb of the day.
Eastman Pinot Kwiatkowski Sagan La Lavandier Rowsell
Scarponi can't afford to let them go and as seen we hit the uphill gradients - 7% - he makes his move.
Kennaugh, Dieteren, Koch and Grmay try to follow him, but Scarponi is already with the front group. A brief pause - and straight to the front he goes, attacking them!
And they can't match the man from San Marino! He pulls out a 30 second lead on Pinot and Eastman.
Eastman is under pressure, but he responds by looking to attack across the gap.
Meanwhile, all the other attackers were all swallowed up by the remains of the peloton. Betancourt makes his first move of the day, while Sagan and Kwiatkowski also try to go clear.
Eastman manages to catch Scarponi as they reach the top - the Wiggle rider collecting maximum KoM points, but the jersey is going to La Lavandier after the Frenchman's earlier efforts.
The situation at the top:
Eastman
Scarponi
+ 30
Pinot
+ 57
Betancourt
+ 1'34
Sagan
+ 1'49
Kirsch
Kennaugh
Bennett
Shikai
Elissonde
Kwiatkowski
Reis
Dieteren
Quintana
Talansky
Grmay
Delaplace
Koep
Scheit
Curfs
Bardet
Renault
This really gives us an idea of who the podium contenders are looking to be in this race - its up to those left in the peloton to descend well and keep themselves as close to contention as possible.
This may be helped by a lack of urgency upfront. Eastman and Scarponi are here for a GC battle, and theyve shown themselves to be the strongest uphill today. But with them both together, neither has anything to gain. So, Pinot is able to join them.
Not just Pinot, but Betancourt makes it across aswell! And watch out, because Sagan is also closing in - gaining over a minute on this descent the Slovakian. If he can finish on the same time as them, he will almost certainly take the race lead - and he also has the fastest finish, so this could be another stage win! 3.3km to go.
Pinot has drawn the short straw onto the finish straight, but they may just hold off Sagan here as the sprint launches with 1.5km to go.
And yes, Sagan won't be able to close them down. The lead 4 have used less energy on the descent afterall.
Leading out means Pinot won't win, but who will? Eastman has the best position, but Betancourt is looking quick - as Scarponi tucks in to the Colombian's slipstream
Betancourt takes the lead but not for long. The strongest rider of the day sprints past him and so it is a stage win for Paolo Scarponi!
4 wins out of 5 for Wiggle. 2nd for Betancourt and 3rd for Eastman - so a 12 second bonus gain on the American for Scarponi.
Sagan takes 5th, 18 seconds down - thus meaning that the race lead will stay in the Wiggle family, and go to Scarponi.
Kennaugh, Kirsch, Bennett, Quintana and Scheit claim the rest of the Top 10 positions - and they managed to reduce the gap to the leaders to 40 seconds.
3rd overall Skujins just lost contact with that group before the top of the climb, and ends up in the next group - losing 2'33. Luke Rowe finishes in the group at that, 3'12 behind.
