BMC triumvirate threating the overall at Pais Vasco

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While BMC Racing Team has been making headlines thanks to Greg Van Avermaet's second placing at the Tour of Flanders, in Spain at the Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco the team has three riders ensconced within the top 15 on GC.

Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) has lead the race since winning stage one but after Stage 4, Samuel Sánchez, was third behind the day's winner Wout Poels (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), has moved into the top 10, while Cadel Evans, seventh on the stage, climbed one spot to fourth in the overall standings. Evans is 36 seconds off Contador, Sánchez 56 seconds and Tejay van Garderen is at 58 seconds.

"The team did a real great job. We kept a good classification with our GC leaders and the option to win the stage with me. That was a pity that I didn't, but the real important thing is our team is working at its best," said Sánchez after the stage who, with Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), attempted to catch Poels after his attack on the final climb of the day.

"Cadel, Tejay and I are feeling good and tomorrow we can try to look for a stage victory before the final time trial on Saturday." 

Sport Director Valerio Piva was impressed by the aggressive riding on the stage from the start. "Our team was fantastic the whole time, in front and around our leaders," Piva said.

"It was a nice performance and is what I expected today. We still have a time trial on the last day and tomorrow is a stage like today. So we are still in a good position to do a stage and a good place on the GC."

The two reaming stages of the race are a 25.9km time trial and a 160.2km road race.

The team will have to do without Colombian Darwin Atapuma who withdrew midway through the stage having suffered from respiratory problems.

"We decided to have him try to start, but he didn't feel so good so he stopped during the race," BMC team Dr. Giovanni Ruffini said. "In the next few days, we will evaluate his condition."

Dominik Nerz is also recovering from injury after he crashed while descending from the finish line after the stage to the team bus but he did not suffer any serious injuries.