Sprinters are a tough bunch. They get knocked down, but they get up again. Take Thor Hushovd, who crashed badly in Ghent. The so-called Mighty Thor redeemed a lacklustre season to date with victory on stage four in Joigny, this afternoon. The burly 29 year old, who now lives in Perpignan, made up for the disappointment of his heavy fall on Monday with a characteristically bustling sprint win on the Quai de General Leclerc, on the banks of the Yonne river.

But Hushovd’s rustiness at celebrating success almost cost him victory. Metres from the line, he momentarily freewheeled, allowing the pursuing Robert Hunter, from the Barloworld team, to draw level. Hushovd, his arms raised in salute, will have had a fright when he cast a glance under his right arm and saw the desperate South African hit the line, a hair's breadth behind him.

Hunter, a former stage winner in the Tour of Spain, banged his handlebars in an apoplexy of frustration, but the South African, who last year was eliminated from the Tour on the penultimate stage, appears to be in fine sprinting form once again. Meanwhile, Hushovd, below his best only a week ago, will suddenly have renewed belief and confidence.

Great Britain’s Mark Cavendish, battered by two crashes in the first four road stages, showed his grit by sprinting to tenth place. But both his positioning and timing looked to be flawed as he entered the final 250 metres, a weakness evidenced by the frustrated exhortations of his lead-out man, Bernhard Eisel.

With two more flat stages remaining before the Alps, ‘Cav’ needs to get his approach play right if he is to threaten a stage win before the mountains take their toll.