Giro d'Italia: Ulissi wins stage 4

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Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida) claimed stage 4 of the Giro d’Italia during a dramatic day of racing. The Italian was on the front foot throughout the finale and finally broke free on the last climb of the day with 10 kilometres to go. He held off the chasing pack on the stage from Catanzaro to Praia a Mare to win ahead of Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) and Steven Kruijswijk (Team LottoNl-Jumbo).

Overnight leader Marcel Kittel (Etixx-QuickStep) was distanced twice during the stage and eventually relented in his chase to finish several minutes down. Dumoulin – who won stage 1 – finished second in an elite group, five second down on Ulissi and as a result moved back into the race lead.

The majority of the GC contenders finished safely in the main field but Ryder Hesjedal (Trek-Segafredo) lost time.

Dumoulin now leads Bob Jungels (Etixx - QuickStep) by 20 seconds, with Ulissi at the same time in third place. Pre-race favourite Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) sits in sixth at 26 seconds.

The day, however, belonged to Ulissi who took the fifth Giro d’Italia stage win of his career. He timed his final acceleration perfectly, capping off the work from his Lampre-Merdia team and notably Valerio Conti, who dragged a select group of riders clear and then helped to establish a buffer over the peloton.

“I’m really happy because we did a great job as a team,” Ulissi said at the finish.

“Valerio Conti was exceptional in the way he dragged the attack away. I gave it everything on the climb and was worried I’d be caught on the descent but I hung and got it. When I looked around with 10 metres to go, I realised I’d got it. It’s a special moment.”

Conti pulled over at the foot of the final climb, handing over responsibility to Ulissi, and the Italian, who was arguably the fastest rider in the break, moved to the front to assert control. There was a brief cameo acceleration from breakaway addict Stefano Pirazzi (Bardiani-CSF) but Ulissi held firm, first subduing Pirazzi and then pushing clear of the break at the summit of the climb.

The peloton were locked in their own battle with the GC contenders keen to stretch their legs with the race on Italian soil and the first genuine inclines peppering the stage profile.

It was the diminutive Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale) who kicked first, his move bringing forward Nibali, Alejandro Valverde and Dumoulin. Mikel Landa (Team Sky) was briefly caught out but the Spaniard recovered just as the peloton snapped.

On the descent Astana led the charge, first bringing back the remnants of the break and then setting off in pursuit of Ulissi, who still had designs on pulling on the maglia rosa.

The Italian had a handful of seconds as he went under the one-kilometre to go banner and he was certainly helped by the fact that the chase fell apart in the closing stages but he held on to take the win – Italy’s first in this year’s race.

More on this story:

• Giro d'Italia: Ulissi wins stage 4
• Giro d'Italia stage 4: Finish line quotes
• Giro d’Italia stage 4 highlights - Video
   

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How it unfolded

After three days in the Netherlands the race touched down in Italy after Monday’s transfer and rest-day. Marcel Kittel, resplendent in pink, may well have known that his stint as race leader would be coming to abrupt end but his Etixx team controlled the peloton even after Matthias Brändle (IAM Cycling) Nicola Boem (Bardiani), Matej Mohoric (Lampre Merida) and Joey Rosskopf (BMC) broke clear in the opening kilometres.

The foursome established a lead as the race traversed west and then north, along the coast and when the peloton sprung into life with around 60 kilometres to go the gap held at 3:30.

When the reaction came though it was swift and merciless. Brandle was the first to crack but his companions were soon swallowed up too as the race attacked the third category climb of San Pietro.

After the descent the AG2R La Mondiale pairing of Hubert Dupont and Guillaume Bonnafond attacked in tandem to spark a flurry of activity from behind. The duo were joined by a group of around 15 soon after - among them Ulissi and Conti – as the stage moved into the final 30 kilometres.

With the maglia rosa struggling, the incentive of winning the stage and possibly taking the lead was clear. Tim Wellens, Alessandro De Marchi, Pieter Serry, and GC dark horse Bob Jungels were among the move that held a 20-second advantage as they raced towards the final climb.

In truth, the collaboration was almost non-existent within the group but Conti held it together, and singlehandedly held off the bunch until the lower slopes of the Via del Fontino, where Ulissi, quite frankly, made it look easy.

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