Vuelta a España: Degenkolb wins stage 4 in Córdoba
Matthews retains leader's jersey
John Degenkolb (Giant-Shimano) claimed stage 4 of the Vuelta a España from Mairena del Alcor to Córdoba after unleashing a furious sprint in the final 200 meters. The German won by several bike lengths, gauging his efforts perfectly on a day that saw a number of his sprint rivals suffer in the heat. Vicente Reynes (IAM Cycling) finished second with Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEdge) doing enough to retain his leader’s jersey, taking in third.
Degenkolb survived the difficult terrain and the heat, and made the most of the hard work laid down by his teammates on the run into Córdoba. Giant-Shimano hit the front inside the final kilometre of the stage on a sweltering day in the saddle and when Reynes opened up his sprint for the line Degenkolb used it as the springboard to move clear. Behind him, there was little Matthews and the remaining sprinters could do, with Degenkolb finishing several bike lengths clear.
The win means that for the second year in a row Giant-Shimano have won stages in all three Grand Tours but for Degenkolb the win proved that the sprinter is back to his best.
The 25-year-old suffered badly on stage 3 but he was able to come back, with help from his team, and secure the win he was aiming for in Córdoba. The Vuelta is a race that had launched the German’s career, where he made his Grand Tour debut in 2011, and where, twelve months later he won five stages.
"I love the Vuelta a España and also the country. I love being in Spain. Yesterday was quite disappointing not holding on, it was too hard and too explosive. Today was better. I needed one or two days to adapt to the heat. My teammates were there to help me and motivate me, and it’s great to win another stage of the Vuelta.” Degenkolb said at the finish.
While the sprinters were split by the two categorised climbs in the final 60 kilometres, the overall contenders remained clustered together. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) launched an attack on the descent of the final climb but Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo), Chris Froome (Team Sky) and Nairo Quintana (Movistar) all remain in contention.
How it unfolded
The stage itself was marked by the searing temperatures which peaked out at 40 degrees as the peloton made its way north. Not that the weather did anything to dissuade the early attacks with Francisco Javier Aramendia (Caja-Rural), Gert Joeaar (Cofidis), Sebastien Turgot (Ag2r-La Mondiale) and Jimmy Engoulvent (Europcar) slipping clear in the opening stages.
After 20 kilometres of racing in oven-like conditions, the foursome had an advantage of close to five minutes and as they race wound its way further north, the gap ebbed and flowed as the peloton’s main concern shifted to hydration and race management.
Orica-GreenEdge had worked tirelessly on stage 3 in setting up Matthews for both the stage win and race lead, and the Australian outfit were not about to let all their hard work be undone.
They set tempo as the race headed towards the first climb of the day and with the gap ticking downwards the main GC contenders and their teams began to surface near the front of the peloton.
Turgot was the first rider to throw in the towel as the break moved onto the first categorised climb of the stage, leaving the three remaining breakaway riders with a slender 17-second advantage over the peloton.
With Caja Rural’s jersey dangerously close to disappearing from the view of the television cameras the Spanish squad sought action and it was left to Amets Txurruka to fly the flag. The Spaniard bridged up to the survivors in no time and quickly established a lead with Engoulvent.
Despite the fresh legs, Team Sky and Movistar pace setting meant that the duo stood little chance as the race began the final 36.9-kilometre circuit, which would decide the stage.
At the back of the peloton, a number of sprinters were already struggling with Cannondale’s Peter Sagan once again in difficulty. He wasn’t the only fast man under pressure with Jens Debusschere and Yauheni Hutarovich also losing ground.
On the second category climb after 130 kilometres of racing Team Sky and Movistar again assumed control of the race with Quintana and Froome aligned to the back of their teams’ trains. Contador danced on the pedals alongside them, giving his delicate knee another test.
With the break caught, Lampre-Merida’s Winner Anacona and Orica-GreenEdge’s Adam Yates jumped clear as the peloton crested the climb. They were joined by Europcar’s Romain Sicard and Valverde. The Movistar’s motives were not entirely clear given the distance between the climb and the finish but the group managed to establish a 20-second lead before organisation and an inevitable capture was made.
Inside the final ten kilometres, the weary sprint trains that remained pushed on. It looked as though Degenkolb would go up against Matthews, even if Lotto Belisol’s Adam Hansen tried to spoil the party with a late attack. With the finish line in sight, however, Degenkolb unleashed his sprint to take the stage.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano | 4:02:55 |
2 | Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) IAM Cycling | |
3 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica Greenedge | |
4 | Damiano Caruso (Ita) Cannondale | |
5 | Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin Sharp | |
6 | Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Katusha | |
7 | Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
8 | Valerio Conti (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
9 | Bob Jungels (Lux) Trek Factory Racing | |
10 | Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
11 | Pieter Serry (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
12 | Elia Favilli (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
13 | Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
14 | Sergio Pardilla Bellon (Spa) MTN - Qhubeka | |
15 | José Herrada Lopez (Spa) Movistar Team | |
16 | George Bennett (NZl) Cannondale | |
17 | Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Shimano | |
18 | Jhoan Esteban Chaves Rubio (Col) Orica Greenedge | |
19 | Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
20 | Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team | |
21 | Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Team Katusha | |
22 | Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
23 | Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Team Katusha | |
24 | Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky | |
25 | Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
26 | Kenny Elissonde (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
27 | Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
28 | Wout Poels (Ned) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
29 | Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
30 | Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar Team | |
31 | André Cardoso (Por) Garmin Sharp | |
32 | Maxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
33 | Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
34 | Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre-Merida | |
35 | Andrey Amador Bakkazakova (CRc) Movistar Team | |
36 | Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team | |
37 | Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Team Sky | |
38 | Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
39 | Samuel Sanchez (Spa) BMC Racing Team | |
40 | Robert Gesink (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
41 | Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team | |
42 | Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Team Katusha | |
43 | Peio Bilbao (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | |
44 | Winner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre-Merida | |
45 | Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) Trek Factory Racing | |
46 | Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team | |
47 | Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin Sharp | |
48 | Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
49 | David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | |
50 | Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
51 | Lawrence Warbasse (USA) BMC Racing Team | |
52 | Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin Sharp | |
53 | Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Team Katusha | |
54 | Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team | |
55 | Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Astana Pro Team | |
56 | Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar Team | |
57 | Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team | |
58 | Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
59 | Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
60 | Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | 0:00:10 |
61 | Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol | 0:00:18 |
62 | Javier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:00:25 |
63 | Maxime Mederel (Fra) Team Europcar | 0:00:26 |
64 | Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team | 0:00:32 |
65 | Lawson Craddock (USA) Team Giant-Shimano | 0:00:45 |
66 | Chad Haga (USA) Team Giant-Shimano | 0:00:53 |
67 | Adam Yates (GBr) Orica Greenedge | 0:01:01 |
68 | Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Orica Greenedge | 0:01:47 |
69 | Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica Greenedge | |
70 | Paul Martens (Ger) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | 0:03:42 |
71 | Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano | |
72 | Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN - Qhubeka | |
73 | Francesco Lasca (Ita) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | |
74 | Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
75 | Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Team Katusha | |
76 | Romain Sicard (Fra) Team Europcar | |
77 | Ivan Rovny (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
78 | Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
79 | Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Cannondale | |
80 | Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) MTN - Qhubeka | |
81 | Romain Hardy (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
82 | Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano | 0:04:53 |
83 | Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:06:15 |
84 | Matthias Krizek (Aut) Cannondale | |
85 | Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | |
86 | Dominik Nerz (Ger) BMC Racing Team | |
87 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | |
88 | Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin Sharp | |
89 | Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant-Shimano | |
90 | Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
91 | Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ.fr | 0:08:31 |
92 | Philip Deignan (Irl) Team Sky | |
93 | Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
94 | Amets Txurruka (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | |
95 | Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
96 | Carlos Verona Quintanilla (Spa) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
97 | Yoann Bagot (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
98 | Jerome Coppel (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
99 | Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
100 | Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano | 0:10:47 |
101 | Nathan Brown (USA) Garmin Sharp | |
102 | Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
103 | Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
104 | Romain Zingle (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
105 | Luis Mas Bonet (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | |
106 | Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Team Sky | |
107 | Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | |
108 | Antonio Piedra Perez (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | |
109 | Johan Le Bon (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
110 | Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Belisol | |
111 | Merhawi Kudus Ghebremedhin (Eri) MTN - Qhubeka | |
112 | Julian David Arredondo Moreno (Col) Trek Factory Racing | |
113 | Dmitry Kozontchuk (Rus) Team Katusha | |
114 | Yury Trofimov (Rus) Team Katusha | |
115 | Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Team Sky | |
116 | Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Trek Factory Racing | 0:13:40 |
117 | Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
118 | Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky | |
119 | Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano | 0:13:44 |
120 | Patrick Gretsch (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale | |
121 | Javier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | |
122 | Marcel Aregger (Swi) IAM Cycling | |
123 | Stef Clement (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
124 | Karol Domagalski (Pol) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | |
125 | Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
126 | Martijn Keizer (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
127 | Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
128 | Sébastien Hinault (Fra) IAM Cycling | |
129 | Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin Sharp | |
130 | Bryan Nauleau (Fra) Team Europcar | |
131 | Jesse Sergent (NZl) Trek Factory Racing | |
132 | Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica Greenedge | |
133 | David Millar (GBr) Garmin Sharp | |
134 | Yannick Martinez (Fra) Team Europcar | |
135 | Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin Sharp | |
136 | Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Trek Factory Racing | |
137 | Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Cannondale | |
138 | Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale | |
139 | Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez (Col) Lampre-Merida | |
140 | Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
141 | Guillaume Boivin (Can) Cannondale | |
142 | Vegard Breen (Nor) Lotto Belisol | |
143 | Cédric Pineau (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
144 | Oscar Gatto (Ita) Cannondale | |
145 | Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar Team | |
146 | Sergei Chernetski (Rus) Team Katusha | |
147 | Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
148 | Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
149 | Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory Racing | |
150 | Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek Factory Racing | |
151 | Jerome Cousin (Fra) Team Europcar | |
152 | Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Cannondale | |
153 | Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
154 | Johann Tschopp (Swi) IAM Cycling | |
155 | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto Belisol | |
156 | Damien Gaudin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
157 | Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky | |
158 | Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
159 | Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:16:55 |
160 | Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
161 | Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
162 | Daniel Craven (Nam) Team Europcar | |
163 | Daniil Fominykh (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
164 | Sam Bewley (NZl) Orica Greenedge | |
165 | Pirmin Lang (Swi) IAM Cycling | |
166 | Natnael Berhane (Eri) Team Europcar | |
167 | Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
168 | Dominic Klemme (Ger) IAM Cycling | |
169 | Moreno Hofland (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
170 | Martin Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
171 | Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
172 | Sébastien Turgot (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
173 | Laurent Mangel (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
174 | Robert Wagner (Ger) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
175 | Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | |
176 | Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
177 | Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek Factory Racing | |
178 | Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica Greenedge | |
179 | Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
180 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
181 | Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar | |
182 | Jonathan Fumeaux (Swi) IAM Cycling | |
183 | Maximiliano Ariel Richeze (Arg) Lampre-Merida | |
184 | Louis Meintjes (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | |
185 | Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Team Europcar | |
186 | Gert Joeaar (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
187 | Dario Cataldo (Ita) Team Sky | |
188 | Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN - Qhubeka | |
189 | Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez (Col) AG2R La Mondiale | |
190 | Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | |
191 | Adriano Malori (Ita) Movistar Team | |
192 | Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky | |
193 | Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) IAM Cycling | |
194 | Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) IAM Cycling | |
195 | Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) FDJ.fr | |
196 | Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica Greenedge | |
197 | Jaco Venter (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | |
198 | Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ.fr | 0:17:37 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Sébastien Turgot (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 4 | pts |
2 | Gert Joeaar (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 2 | |
3 | Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Team Europcar | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Amets Txurruka (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | 4 | pts |
2 | Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Team Europcar | 2 | |
3 | Luis Mas Bonet (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano | 25 | pts |
2 | Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) IAM Cycling | 20 | |
3 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica Greenedge | 16 | |
4 | Damiano Caruso (Ita) Cannondale | 14 | |
5 | Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin Sharp | 12 | |
6 | Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Katusha | 10 | |
7 | Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 9 | |
8 | Valerio Conti (Ita) Lampre-Merida | 8 | |
9 | Bob Jungels (Lux) Trek Factory Racing | 7 | |
10 | Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team | 6 | |
11 | Pieter Serry (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | 5 | |
12 | Elia Favilli (Ita) Lampre-Merida | 4 | |
13 | Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 3 | |
14 | Sergio Pardilla Bellon (Spa) MTN - Qhubeka | 2 | |
15 | José Herrada Lopez (Spa) Movistar Team | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Amets Txurruka (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | 3 | pts |
2 | Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Team Europcar | 2 | |
3 | Javier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Winner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre-Merida | 5 | pts |
2 | Adam Yates (GBr) Orica Greenedge | 3 | |
3 | Romain Sicard (Fra) Team Europcar | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team |
---|---|
1 | Amets Txurruka (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Team Katusha | 12:08:45 |