Andre Greipel wins fourth stage as he continues TDU love affair

UPDATE: GERMANY'S Andre Greipel extended his record as the most prolific TDU stage winner when he claimed the fourth stage.

ANDRE Greipel again conquered Victor Harbor with his unique explosive power in an emphatic stage win at the Santos Tour Down Under on Thursday.

It was Greipel's hat-trick of stage wins at the SA seaside resort after he blitzed the peloton during the 2008 and 2012 editions.

Greipel also earned his 15th stage win at the Tour Down Under since making his Australian debut in 2008.

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But Friday's bunch sprint finish was tailor made for Greipel as the peloton hustled and bustled for an amazing ending to stage four - Unley-Victor Harbor.

Greipel's Lotto-Belisol team also claimed a one, two finish as Belgium's Jurgen Roelandts protected the German to the line in near perfect weather conditions for the UCI WorldTour peloton.

Replay our LIVE coverage of Stage 4 below

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Greipel at last had a huge smile on his face after he was rocked on Tuesday when Orica-GreenEDGE's Simon Gerrans claimed stage one in a photo finish at Angaston which didn't please the two-time Tour Down Under overall winner.

"Gerrans won (Milan) San Remo, won Tour de France stages beat (Peter) Sagan in the sprint, he's a big champion,'' Greipel said after reflecting on losing Tuesday's thriller.

"I was tired before the climb but yeah that's racing otherwise we play chess.

"(But we) finally we got it (a 2014 stage win).

"I think it was actually the first opportunity for the sprinters a real stage for us.

"I was really nervous for the whole day but finally we could give it a try again it was a really good team effort and I think first and second says it all."

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Cannondale's Italian Olympic Games track and road representative Elia Viviani finished third, while Gerrans claimed fourth position after doing some early GC damage to Cadel Evans before the thrilling finish at Victor Harbor.

After losing the ochre jersey to BMC Racing's Australian Tour de France Evans during Thursday's blockbuster stage four, Gerrans turned the blowtorch on his main GC rival.

Gerran earned five seconds in prime sprint time bonuses to close the gap to Evans to just seven seconds.

With Evans looking nervous after Friday's race, Saturday's stage five race - McLaren Vale-Willunga - is set to unveil the new Tour Down Under champion in a likely face off between BMC Racing and Orica-GreenEDGE.

News_Image_File: Andre Greipel at the winner's presentation after the fourth stage. Picture: Sarah Reed

But while Orica-GreenEDGE was aiming to breakaway during Friday's stage, BMC was catching all the breaks ensuring Evans was not going to lose the ochre jersey.

And Evans' and Gerrans' GC hopes were not under any threat when Australia's Cameron Wurf from Cannondale, and Alex Domont from AG2R La Mondiale led a two-man breakaway just past Myponga Dam.

The peloton then split at the business end of the race.

Lotto-Belisol then rolled out its tactics near Victor Harbor before Greipel with a freshly painted Gorilla - his trademark nickname - painted on his helmet put the hammer down to claim his first stage win of the new WorldTour season.

"I knew that we had to stay in front and we had to directly put the pressure on,'' Greipel said.

"We're riding until the end and we knew that we were a big chance.

News_Image_File: Orica-GreenEDGE attempts to get back time for Simon Gerrans. Picture: Sarah Reed

"If there's a bunch sprint it doesn't matter where it is, it's a quite technical finish and you have to do it right."

But Greipel hopes to have an "easy" stage five on Saturday.

He is hoping for more record-breaking stage wins on the final day of the worldtour race on Sunday.

The Adelaide city street circuit is again one which Greipel has targeted to win.

"Of course, (Saturday, Lotto-Belisol's) Adam Hansen is really strong now and we can see that,'' he said.

"It's important (for Hansen) and then on Sunday we'll give it another crack."