Uran times his sprint right on stage 4

Rigoberto Uran (Sky) claimed a thrilling sprint victory on stage 4 at the Volta a Catalunya, winning from a six-man break that was caught with approximately 400m remaining by a 19-rider chase group. Uran's fellow escapees Denis Menchov (Katusha) and Sylvester Szmyd (Liquigas-Cannondale) also had enough left in the legs to fend off their pursuers and earn second and third respectively.

Michael Albasini (GreenEdge) finished in the 25-rider lead group and remains in the leader's jersey, 1:32 ahead of Steve Morabito (BMC) and Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto Belisol). Fourteen additional riders are tied on time with Morabito and Van Den Broeck on general classification at 1:32.

"I'm ecstatic, I've been close to a win for Team Sky before and it's nice to finally get this win," said Uran on the Team Sky website. "I've been feeling really good this week and a few days ago Brad [Wiggins] worked amazingly for me when I got third but didn't quite have it at the end so I really wanted to win this one to repay some of that work and show that I could finish it off.

"It was a complicated stage and we knew we had to be alert as there were only the three of us; we were looking to play off the other teams a bit and take our chances when they arose. I got in the first break and then the second one went away at the top of the last climb which included quality riders like Denis Menchov, Levi Leipheimer and Samuel Sánchez so I knew it was a good move. I had hoped we'd take more time but the chase group brought it back towards the end."

While the previous stage ended prematurely amidst rain and snow, today's route concluded in brilliant sunshine in Ascó as the peloton contested two 28km finishing circuits in the 199km stage's finale. Featuring prominently on the finishing circuit was the category 2-rated Alt de Les Paumeres climb, whose summit was positioned 18km from the finish line.

Two riders from the day's early three-man break, Jesus Rosendo Prado (Andalucia) and Julian Sanchez Pimienta (Caja Rural), just barely held off the peloton's pursuit through the first ascent of the Alt de Les Paumeres, but were soon swept up on the descent. Romain Zingle (Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne), the third rider from the early break, cracked on the climb and was caught prior to the summit.

An elite selection of approximately 25 riders chased and caught the breakaway, and from this lead group Rigoberto Uran (Sky) attacked on the sweeping descent of the Alt de Les Paumeres. Uran would be joined by Sandy Casar (FDJ-Big Mat) and Polish champion Tomasz Marczynski (Vacansoleil-DCM). While Casar and Marczynski weren't overall general classification threats, Uran was one of 27 riders tied 1:32 behind race leader Michael Albasini so their escape wasn't afforded much leeway.

Uran, however, sat up from the break and was caught by the chase group which was swelling in numbers as the riders dropped on the ascent were regaining contact. Casar and Marczynski, though, pressed onwards in the lead and held a 25-second advantage over their pursuers as they crossed the finish line with one 28km circuit remaining.

Crunch time on the Alt de Les Paumeres

On the wide open, wind-swept parcours the duo's lead was gradually decreasing in advance of the final climb of the Alt de Les Paumeres. As the road kicked upwards Casar didn't have the legs to stay with Marczynski and was dropped. Lampre-ISD and then Omega Pharma-QuickStep were leading the chase and soon after picking up Casar the chase group caught and dropped Marczynski.

With the furtive break attempt quashed, riders began launching attacks on the climb, including Yury Trofimov (Katusha), Dario Cataldo (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) and Nairo Quintana (Movistar), but each of their escape attempts were short-lived.

The decisive move, however, would take place just prior to the summit as Sylvester Szmyd (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Levi Leipheimer (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) attacked from the lead group. Olympic champion Sammy Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) bridged across with an elite selection in tow and the hard-driving Spaniard would be the first to crest the summit. A six man break would consolidate early on the descent comprised of Sanchez, Leipheimer, Szmyd, Rigoberto Uran (Sky), Denis Menchov (Katusha) and David Moncoutie (Cofidis).

Sanchez and Uran put their descending skills on display as they gapped Menchov, Szmyd, Moncoutie and Leipheimer through the sweeping switchbacks, but as the parcours levelled out the break re-formed with a tenuous 15-second advantage over a chase group of 19 riders, including race leader Michael Albasini (GreenEdge).

The escapees were digging deep to fend off the juncture by their pursuers, but second by second their lead was whittled away. The break never faltered in their efforts, and still maintained a slender five-second lead with 1,500 metres remaining.

Inside the final kilometre one rider from the chase group bridged the gap, followed by the entire chase group at approximately 400m to go.

While Uran came up short in his efforts to claim a sprint victory on stage two, this time as he uncorked his finishing kick nobody had a response. The 25-year-old Colombian had the most left in the tank and held off Menchov and Szmyd for his first victory in Sky colours.

Moncoutie, too, would hold off the charge of the chase group to finish in fourth while Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto Belisol) would be the highest-placed of the chasers for fifth place.

Full Results