THOR Hushovd, of Norway, won stage four of Le Tour de France, outsprinting South Africa’s Robbie Hunter by less than the length of a wheel.

The 193-kilometre stage between Villers-Cotterets and Joigny was a relatively dull affair, enlivened only by a five-man breakaway, launched by the Bouyges-Telecom rider Matthieu Sprick after 20 kilometres.

Their lead hovered at around three and a half minutes over a disinterested main field until the chase began in earnest with around 65 kilometres to race.

The last two remnants of the doomed attack, Juan Antonio Flecha of Spain and the German Chritian Knees, shook hands with less than seven kilometres to go, sat up and waited for the main field to engulf them.

Britain’s Mark Cavendish found himself boxed in and was forced to settle for tenth place, as Hushovd shot clear of his rivals, edging out Hunter and finishing comfortably ahead of the third-placed rider, Spain’s Oscar Freire.

Switzerland’s Fabian Cancellara retains the yellow jersey.

Stage five, on Thursday, is over 182-kilometres between Chablis and Autun.