Vuelta al Pais Vasco: Samuel Sanchez wins stage 4 in Orio
Kelderman snatches race lead from Landa
Samuel Sanchez launched a winning attack with one kilometre to go over the top of a small climb and held off the chase to take a slim but solo victory on stage 4 of the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. The BMC rider finished just ahead of chasers Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) and Warren Barguil (Giant-Alpecin).
Wilco Kelderman (LottoNl-Jumbo) moved into the overall lead by six seconds ahead of Sergio Henao (Team Sky). Henao’s teammate Mikel Landa, who struggled over the decisive final climb of Aia, slipped into third at seven seconds back.
Never an easy day at the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, stage 4 took the peloton on a 165km race from Lesaka to Orio. The day’s climbs began with Alto de Jaizkibel (Cat 1) and Aldo de Arkale (Cat 3).
After a somewhat flatter section of terrain and some reprieve, the racers hit the Alto de Aia (Cat 2) and the Alto de Garate (Cat 2). The race ended with two climbs over the Alto de Aia (Cat 2) followed by a fast descent and a small uphill kick to the finish line in Orio.
The start of the stage saw the overall classification in a tight-knit battle led by Landa, who was only one second ahead of Keldermann, but he could start the stage with some added confidence knowing his teammate Henao was close behind in third, five seconds back.
The day’s breakaway of six riders were Simone Petilli (Lampre-Merida), Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal), Christopher Riblon (AG2R La Mondiale), Luis Angel Mate (Cofidis), Carlos Verona (Etixx-QuickStep) and Angel Vicioso (Katusha).
The breakaway split up briefly over the Garate ascent with Mate leading Verona, Wellens and Riblon over the top, but Vicioso and Petilli soon caught back up on the other side.
Team Sky had set the pace for all of the stage, keeping the breakaway at roughly 2:30 minutes but they increased their speed at the front of the peloton to bring that gap down to 1:30 with 22km to go.
On the Aia, Barguil jumped ahead of the Team Sky-led main group and Tinkoff sent Roman Kreuziger on his heels to take the pressure off of Alberto Contador. Astana soon came to the fore and shut down the move altogether.
Viscioso fell off pace over the climb and was eventually swept up by the field, but the other five breakaway riders continued on with a one-minute lead.
The next time up Aia, Wellens and Verona gapped their breakaway companions, as the riders behind were grinding their gears just to get over the steep incline. Team Sky continued a strong hold on the smaller 40-some-man field.
On the steepest section, which was reported to be 28%, Contador, Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and Henao bridge up to the two breakaway riders, but race leader Landa fell further and further back in the field.
Over the top, Verona attacked the newly formed lead group and although Wellens tried to get across it was a case of too little too late and by the time they reached the descent Verona was already ahead by six seconds.
Verona built his lead to 15 seconds over chasers Mate and Wellens, while Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) and Fabio Aru (Astana), who emerged off of the steep slopes of Aia, chased further back.
Wellens and Mate caught Verona with just under three kilometres to go but a quick pace set by Kreuziger at the front of the field, with Costa on his wheel, resulted in the race coming back together with two kilometres to go.
Contador made a move on the small kicker toward the finish line and Henao tried to latch onto his wheel.
Sanchez followed closely and then launched an attack that Contador could not respond to, and he built a small gap over the top. Tucked into a tight aero position on the descent, Sanchez powered his way to the finish line in Orio to take the stage victory for BMC.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Samuel Sanchez (Spa) BMC Racing Team | 4:13:12 |
2 | Rui Costa (Por) Lampre - Merida | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff Team | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Lawson Craddock (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Simon Yates (GBr) Orica-GreenEdge | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) FDJ | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Louis Vervaeke (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Laurens De Plus (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:00:08 |
19 | Pierre-Roger Latour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Team Sky | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Simon Spilak (Slo) Team Katusha | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team | 0:00:11 |
23 | Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data | 0:00:13 |
24 | Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Team Katusha | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Daniel Navarro (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Darwin Atapuma (Col) BMC Racing Team | 0:00:18 |
28 | Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team | 0:00:19 |
29 | Miguel Angel Lopez (Col) Astana Pro Team | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Maxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:00:27 |
31 | Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre - Merida | 0:00:39 |
32 | Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Pello Bilbao (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 0:01:07 |
34 | Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:01:17 |
35 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff Team | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-GreenEdge | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | 0:01:24 |
38 | Daniel Moreno (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale Pro Cycling | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Frank Schleck (Lux) Trek-Segafredo | 0:01:48 |
41 | Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Simone Petilli (Ita) Lampre - Merida | 0:02:14 |
44 | Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica-GreenEdge | 0:02:26 |
45 | Sebastian Henao (Col) Team Sky | 0:02:35 |
46 | Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:02:46 |
47 | Carlos Verona (Spa) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Pierre Rolland (Fra) Cannondale Pro Cycling | 0:02:49 |
49 | Anthony Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:02:52 |
50 | Michael Valgren (Den) Tinkoff Team | 0:04:52 |
51 | Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Tinkoff Team | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Andre Cardoso (Por) Cannondale Pro Cycling | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Sam Oomen (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre - Merida | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Davide Villella (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Trek-Segafredo | 0:07:26 |
61 | Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Marcel Wyss (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Eduard Prades (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Fabricio Ferrari Barcelo (Uru) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Fredrik Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Koen Bouwman (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Philip Deignan (Irl) Team Sky | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Team Sky | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Dimension Data | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Valerio Conti (Ita) Lampre - Merida | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Sergei Chernetski (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Angel Vicioso (Spa) Team Katusha | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Peter Velits (Svk) BMC Racing Team | 0:11:10 |
81 | Joseph Rosskopf (USA) BMC Racing Team | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek-Segafredo | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Pieter Serry (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Mario Costa (Por) Lampre - Merida | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Diego Rosa (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Team | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Egor Silin (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Stephen Cummings (GBr) Dimension Data | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Steve Morabito (Swi) FDJ | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
95 | Christian Meier (Can) Orica-GreenEdge | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale Pro Cycling | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre - Merida | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
99 | Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Rory Sutherland (Aus) Movistar Team | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
102 | Simon Clarke (Aus) Cannondale Pro Cycling | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | Jesus Herrada (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
105 | Yoann Bagot (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
106 | Ruben Plaza (Spa) Orica-GreenEdge | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
107 | Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
108 | Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
109 | Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Orica-GreenEdge | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
110 | Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
111 | Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
112 | Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:13:20 |
113 | Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing Team | 0:13:40 |
114 | Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
115 | Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Trek-Segafredo | 0:15:33 |
116 | Lawrence Warbasse (USA) IAM Cycling | 0:16:41 |
117 | Stefan Denifl (Aut) IAM Cycling | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
118 | Julien Vermote (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:18:16 |
119 | Amets Txurruka (Spa) Orica-GreenEdge | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
120 | Omar Fraile (Spa) Dimension Data | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
121 | Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
122 | Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
123 | Clement Chevrier (Fra) IAM Cycling | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
124 | William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
125 | Marcel Aregger (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
126 | David Tanner (Aus) IAM Cycling | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
127 | Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) Dimension Data | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
128 | Domingos Gonçalves (Por) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
129 | Miguel Angel Benito (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
130 | Johann Van Zyl (RSA) Dimension Data | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
131 | Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
132 | Sindre Skjoestad Lunke (Nor) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
133 | Winner Anacona (Col) Movistar Team | Row 132 - Cell 2 |
134 | Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling | Row 133 - Cell 2 |
135 | Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Team Katusha | Row 134 - Cell 2 |
136 | Natnael Berhane (Eri) Dimension Data | Row 135 - Cell 2 |
137 | Maxim Belkov (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 136 - Cell 2 |
138 | Jonathan Lastra Martinez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | Row 137 - Cell 2 |
139 | Xabier Zandio (Spa) Team Sky | Row 138 - Cell 2 |
140 | Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:20:58 |
141 | Mekseb Debesay (Eri) Dimension Data | Row 140 - Cell 2 |
142 | Jonathan Fumeaux (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 141 - Cell 2 |
143 | Rodrigo Contreras (Col) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 142 - Cell 2 |
144 | Cédric Pineau (Fra) FDJ | Row 143 - Cell 2 |
145 | Carter Jones (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 144 - Cell 2 |
146 | Pirmin Lang (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 145 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 3 | pts |
2 | Simone Petilli (Ita) Lampre - Merida | 2 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 1 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 3 | pts |
2 | Carlos Verona (Spa) Etixx - Quick-Step | 2 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 1 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Carlos Verona (Spa) Etixx - Quick-Step | 3 | pts |
2 | Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 2 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 1 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Stefan Denifl (Aut) IAM Cycling | 10 | pts |
2 | Diego Rosa (Ita) Astana Pro Team | 8 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Carlos Verona (Spa) Etixx - Quick-Step | 6 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Jesus Herrada (Spa) Movistar Team | 4 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | 2 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Darwin Atapuma (Col) BMC Racing Team | 1 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Stefan Denifl (Aut) IAM Cycling | 3 | pts |
2 | Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 2 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Carlos Verona (Spa) Etixx - Quick-Step | 1 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 6 | pts |
2 | Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 4 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Carlos Verona (Spa) Etixx - Quick-Step | 2 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Simone Petilli (Ita) Lampre - Merida | 1 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |