Volta ao Algarve (st. 4)

El alemán se filtra en un potente grupo con Gilbert (BMC) o Teuns (BMC) y hace sudar al pelotón antes del sprint. Oliveira y Rosón siguen 3º y 7º antes de la etapa decisiva.

Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen (TLJ) took a convincing win on Saturday’s sprint of stage four in the Volta ao Algarve -200km between Almodôvar and Tavira-, which one of the Movistar Team’s riders with most race days so far in the 2018 season, German Jasha Sütterlin, tried to avoid.

The ‘Bull’ from Freiburg jumped from the field with 15km remaining, in company of Philippe Gilbert (QST), Dylan Teuns (BMC) and Guillaume Bonnafond (COF), to scare the bunch and make it across to the five-man break which had led the entire stage. The efforts by Sütterlin and his companions to bring new life to the escape allowed the reformed, nine-man group staying away from the bunch until the final 3km, when they were reeled back in.

Nelson Oliveira -still 3rd overall, 32″ behind Thomas (SKY)- and Jaime Rosón -7th, 1’18” back- did not have any problems to stay into the first half of the bunch and keep his coveted GC places before the Portuguese race goes for its showdown. A demanding 173km stage five awaits, with two ascents of the Alto do Malhão (2.7km, 9% avg.) set to decide the event’s outcome.