Ciolek wins Ruta del Sol stage in photo finish

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There was a complicated end to what had seemed like a straightforward day on stage 3 of the Ruta del Sol, as it took some lengthy deliberation before the commissaires awarded victory to Gerald Ciolek (MTN-Qhubeka) ahead of Roy Jans (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) in the sprint finish.

Ciolek and Jans were part of a four-man blanket finish in Seville, diving for the line at the same time as Moreno Hofland (Belkin) and Nikias Arndt (Giant-Shimano). The four riders were spread across the road, but the centrally-placed Jans punched the air on crossing the line, convinced that he had taken the win, even if the television pictures suggest Ciolek had just about edged him out.

A period of confusion followed, with Wanty and MTN both hopeful that their respective riders had taken the decision. “They say that Ciolek won but I don't think so," Jans said underneath the podium. "If Ciolek thought he won, he would be here...”

At that precise moment, however, Ciolek was aboard the MTN-Qhubeka team bus, and was about to be informed that he had indeed prevailed ahead of the young Jans. "I just got the news when we were sitting on the bus and they came up to be and said that I had won. It was really close at the finish," a relieved Ciolek said when he was eventually ushered towards the podium. "The rider of Wanty was on the left side and I couldn't see him properly."

On the flat, exposed run-in to the finish in Seville, it was Team Sky who responsibility for leading out the sprint after the Movistar team of race leader Alejandro Valverde had helped to chase down the day’s early escapees Fabio Silvestre (Trek), Edward Theuns (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Martijn Tusveld (Rabobank Development Team) and Haritz Orbe (Euskadi).

Theuns was the last man caught, with a shade under seven kilometres to go, and shortly afterwards, Bradley Wiggins (Sky) took over at the head of the bunch, pedalling smoothly and stringing it out into one long line.

When he swung over inside the final five kilometres, he passed the baton on to Vasil Kiryienka, who had Pete Kennaugh, Geraint Thomas and Sky’s designated sprinter Edvald Boasson Hagen tucked onto his rear wheel.

The Sky lead-out train continued unflustered when a crash split the peloton right on the 3km to go marker. Laurens ten Dam (Belkin) and Tanel Kangert (Astana) were among those caught behind, and only 40 or so riders remained to contest the bunch sprint at the finish.

Approaching the final kilometre, a determined delegation from Belkin muscled its way ahead of Sky, riding in support of the youngster Moreno Hofland, although the ever-ready Thomas managed to haul Boasson Hagen back into contention once the sprint began in earnest.

The Norwegian was unable to make an impact in the finishing straight, however, as Nikias Arndt stole an early march by opening his sprint from distance, while Hofland and Jans dived for his wheel.

Ciolek, meanwhile, was carefully moving up the left-hand barrier, led out expertly by Andreas Stauff, and the 2013 Milan-San Remo winner timed his kick well, unleashing his winning effort with a shade under 150 metres to race.

“My team did an incredible job with Andy Stauff, who put me in front with a perfect lead-out,” Ciolek said. “I wanted to start the season with some good results and it’s great to get the win here.”

In the overall standings, Alejandro Valverde, winner on the opening three days, retains his 20-second lead over Richie Porte (Sky), while Luis Leon Sanchez (Caja Rural) remains in third, a further two seconds back. The race concludes in Fuengirola, near Malaga on Sunday, where the threat of crosswinds could yet breathe some life into the battle for final overall victory.

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