Team NetApp-Endura loses the mountain jersey at the queen stage
On today’s queen stage covering 173 kilometers from Narni to Prati di Tivo, Team NetApp-Endura was unable to defend the mountain jersey. Chris Froome (Sky) won the fourth stage ahead of Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini) and Vincenzo Nibali (Astana). The best rider for Team NetApp-Endura was Paul Voss, who crossed the finish line in 31st place.
After today’s stage, Michal Kwiatkowsky (Omega Pharma Quick-Step) now leads in the general classification. Team NetApp-Endura’s Paul Voss is in 30st place.
Shortly after the start, a four-man breakaway group managed to pull away from the field, building up as much as a 7-minute lead. Controlled by the favorite teams, the breakaway riders gradually lost their lead and were caught at the final climb. A group of favorites pulled away on the final kilometers leading into Prati di Tivo. Multiple attacks came from this group up before Chris Froome launched his decisive attack 1,000 meters before the finish line and managed to hang on to his narrow lead until the very end.
“Unfortunately the stage didn’t go at all how we had imagined. The plan was for one of the guys to be in the first group no matter what so that we could secure points in the mountain classification and thus defend the mountain jersey. We couldn’t do that and Failli clenched both mountain classifications for himself. He has the same number of points as Cesare, but is ahead of Cesare in the general classification. Now we have to give up the mountain jersey after only one day,” Enrico Poitschke said after the stage.
Tomorrow’s fifth stage will take the field from the coastal city of Ortona on a long loop through the Apennines and into the city of Chieti back on the coast. Two mountain classifications await riders as well as a dangerous descent, which comes just 16 kilometers before the finish line.
1. Stage: San Vincenzo – Donoratico 16,9km – TTT
2. Stage: San Vincenzo – Indicatore 232km
3. Stage: Indicatore – Narni Scalo 190km
4. Stage: Narni – Prati di Tivo 173km
5. Stage: Ortona – Chieti 230km
6. Stage: Porto Sant’Elpidio – Porto Sant’Elpidio 209km
7. Stage: San Benedetto del Tronto – San Benedetto del Tronto 9,2 – ITT