Baguashan, Taiwan - The top of the general classification of the Tour of Taiwan reshuffled yet again in Wednesday's fourth stage. This time it was the windy conditions and the presence of a long climb with 23 km to go in the 130 km stage that caused the shake-up.

At the end of the day, Frank Pipp of the Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis made the vital late break for the fourth consecutive stage, and earned a second consecutive 4th place stage finish that was enough to put him atop the GC standings, after entering the stage in 3rd place overall.

The peloton reached the decisive climb mostly intact, and the fireworks started almost immediately. With three riders in the top 10 overall, including race leader Dean Windsor, Drapac Porsche had the most cards to play. They immediately sent their young Australian national champion Darren Lapthorne (8th overall at 2:05) on the attack. He opened a gap but was joined soon after by a six-man group driven by Pipp and teammate and former race leader Shawn Milne.

But the move seemed to backfire on Drapac Porsche as Windsor and their other team leader, Rob McLachlan (6th overall at 1:11), both missed the move. With Health Net Presented by Maxxis driving the break on the climb, the gap to the second group on the road containing both Windsor and McLachlan, opened to well over a minute.

On the final 500 meter climb to the finish, Iranian Ghader Mizbani (Giant Asia) attacked for the stage win ahead of his teammate Jai Crawford. Pipp finished 4th at eight seconds back, while Lapthorne held onto the front group, finishing 6th at 12 seconds back. Milne took 7th at 1:03 behind the stage winner.

Windsor finished the stage 17th at 1:30 back and fell to second overall. But Pipp now holds a more comfortable 1:11 lead on the Drapac Porsche rider with three stages remaining. Milne moved up to 6th overall, 2:25 Pipp.

The Tour of Taiwan continues Thursday with a 99 km criterium in Taichung.

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