Giro d'Italia (st. 4)

Quintana, Movistar Team undergo on troubles at Bari's finishing circuit, gone skating field and whose GC times were neutralized into the final lap

The fourth stage of the 2014 Giro d’Italia will be written down in the history books as one of the strangest in recent times in the Corsa Rosa. The 112-kilometer course from Giovinazzo to the city of Bari, where eight laps had to be covered into a urban circuit on the streets of Apulia region’s capital, was covered by fits and starts. Following a feint of neutralization due to bad road conditions, wet due to rain and traditionally slippery in this zone of Italy, the peloton rode slow and packed together before the final loop, where the organizers decided all times would be taken before the final lap and all race bonuses would be nullified.

With no aspirations in this flat stage, all Movistar Team riders focused -including Ventoso, usually a specialist in such finishes- on protecting Nairo Quintana, the telephone squad got through a tricky day in the best of possible ways: with no major incidents, always into the first half of the field and crossing the line with the Colombian (121th) in absolute calmness, before some days where they will have to pay attention to their real GC chances. It will be from Wednesday, with two ascents towards Viggiano (Cat-4) after 203 kilometers starting at Taranto, where the top guns will start moving ahead. Aussie sprinter Michael Matthews (OGE) still holds rosa.