Tirreno-Adriatico 2015: Wout Poels takes stage and overall lead

Stage 4 is a monster race of 218 kilometres to Castelraimondo. The stage serves a nerves shattering finale with Wout Poels taking the spoils. (Slideshow route/profile)

Tirreno-Adriatico 2015: Results 4th stage

1. Wout Poels (nld)
2. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 0.14
3. Joaquim Rodriguez (spa) s.t.
4. Alexis Vuillermoz (fra) s.t.
5. Rinaldo Nocentini (ita) s.t
6. Roman Kreuziger (cze) s.t.
7. Giampaolo Caruso (ita) s.t.
8. Nairo Quintana (col) s.t.
9. Jurgen Van den Broeck (bel) s.t.
10. Adam Yates (gbr) s.t.

11. Alberto Contador (spa) s.t.
14. Bauke Mollema (nld) s.t.
21. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) + 0.21

GC after the 4th stage
1. Wout Poels (nld)
2. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 0.17
3. Steven Cummings (gbr) + 0.26
4. Thibaut Pinot (fra) s.t.
5. Roman Kreuziger (Tcze) + 0.27
6. Jonathan Castroviejo (spa) + 0.28
7. Bauke Mollema (nld) s.t.
8. Peter Sagan (svk) + 0.30
9. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) + 0.31
10. Alberto Contador (spa) + 0.32

14. Nairo Quintana (col) + 0.34

Racereport
Mathew Hayman is up to something today. He is the first to try to break free with Ian Stannard and after some fruitless attacks by others, the 36-year old Australian heads off with team-mate Luke Durbridge. A big hurray for the two brave men upfront who are facing some 210 km’s of deserted asphalt.

The duo speeds to a maximum gain of over 8 minutes. It’s brought down to 6 minutes and it keeps balancing there for quite a while.

With 30 km’s left the escapees gain over the pack is 3’30”. Durbridge calls it quits and it’s Hayman solo upfront now. But the gap is shrinking fast.

Atop the Crispiero the escape is history. Arredondo, Moreno, Visconti and Scarponi are the new attackers. But once back at the foot of the Crispiero for the second climb up the hill they are caught.

Van Avermaet struggles on the Crispiero and eventually he is dropped. Still no attacks by any of the top-favorites. No Contador, no Quintana, no Nibali. In the last kilometre before cresting Caruso is flying, but Wout Poels bridges the gap and is the first to crest. He storms down and pockets the victory after a 6 kilometres descent. Tomorrow he is in the blue leader’s jersey. Strong performance by the flying SKY-Dutchman!

Uran is second at 0’14”, winning the sprint of all overall contenders. Except Nibali, the Italian is 0’21” down.