Elia Viviani bounced back after finishing a frustrating second in Murten yesterday and captured his maiden win at the Tour de Suisse, which he is racing for the first time since 2012.
“This victory is a real confidence booster, especially for the next couple of weeks! It’s always important to win a World Tour race and you can see that all my 2019 successes came in such races, which speaks a lot about my season, despite not matching the number of wins I had last year”, a happy Viviani said at the press conference in Arlensheim.
On paper, stage 4 was one for the peloton’s fast men, but a 3km-climb inside the last 20 kilometers and a fast descent threatened to derail the expected bunch gallop. Surrounded by a strong Deceuninck – Quick-Step squad, Elia made it over the Hochwald ascent and remained well-positioned in the group, from where several riders tried to slip away, only to be overhauled. The last two kilometers were extremely technical, peppered by tricky corners and even cobbles, but the Wolfpack stormed to the head of the field and protected the Italian, as they continued to stretch out the bunch.
After best young rider Kasper Asgreen peeled off the front, Belgian Champion Yves Lampaert upped the tempo as they passed under the flamme rouge, before Michael Mørkøv pulled Elia into position for the sprint. The Italian Champion swung around the Dane and kicked out 200 meters from the line, unleashing an astonishing burst of sprint (71km/h maximum speed, according to Velon’s data) and holding off the charges of Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) and Peter Sagan (Bora-hansgrohe), who rounded out the podium.
“We were hoping it will come down to a bunch sprint and were keen on trying again after finishing second yesterday. The guys were absolutely perfect, helping me get over the final climbs, and I was confident in them, because I know we have the best lead-out in the world. We took the responsibility in the last kilometers and made sure we were near the front going into the descent, because this was very important, Michael put me in a perfect position and I could finish off the job. Today’s victory means a lot to me and makes me extremely happy”, Elia said after becoming the first reigning Italian Champion in over two decades to notch up at least nine wins in the iconic tricolore.
Sagan Holds Yellow
Peter Sagan didn’t have enough in the tank for the stage win, but finished third in the sprint to hold on to the yellow jersey of the race leader.
“I wanted to win this stage but it wasn’t the day,” Sagan said at the finish. “The team did a perfect job, they pulled in the front almost all day and the stage was decided, as expected, in a fast bunch sprint. I did my best but today Viviani was the fastest. I feel well, my form is where it should be right now but it wasn’t my day. Thanks to my third place and the sprint bonus, I keep the yellow and black jerseys.”
Geraint Thomas Abandons
In another blow to Team Ineos, Geraint Thomas abandoned the race today after a crash approximately 30km from the finish.
Thomas sat up quickly after the crash and was speaking to race and team personnel, but was described as “ashen-faced, dazed, badly grazed and nursing his right shoulder”.
Shortly after the crash, Ineos confirmed that Thomas had abandoned the race.
“Sadly, [Geraint Thomas] has been forced to abandon the Tour de Suisse,” Team Ineos tweeted after the crash. “He was alert and speaking to the team after the crash and will be taken to hospital for checks. Further updates to follow.”
Ineos later reported that Thomas had “abrasions to his shoulder and a cut above his right eye,” which were visible as he gazed into space sat on the road where he fell.
Stage 4 Brief Results:
- Elia Viviani (Deceuninck-QuickStep at 3h46’02”
- Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) s.t.
- Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) s.t
- Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton-Scott) s.t.
- Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) s.t.
General Classification After Stage 4:
- Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) at 11h37’28”
- Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) at 10″
- Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck-QuickStep) at 15″
- Rohan Dennis (Bahrain-Merida) at 16″
- Lawson Craddock (EF Education First) at 21″
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