Tour of California 2015 – Stage 4 [FULL STAGE]

May 13, 2015

Tour of California 2015 – Stage 4 – Pismo Beach – Avila Beach : 172,2 km

In the tradition-rich world of cycling, where some of the oldest monuments reach back into history more than a hundred years, a single decade marks a race that hasn’t yet hit adolescence. But for the Amgen Tour of California, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, a decade has sometimes seemed like a liftetime. The race has witnessed monsoon-like conditions in the early years when it was on the calendar in February. It persevered through a snowed-out stage during a planned start at Lake Tahoe in 2011. It survived several invasions by Rock Racing and its flamboyant owner Michael Ball, who had three riders cover stage routes ahead of the 2008 race after being excluded by organisers. The race was the site of a showdown between an icon of the sport, Lance Armstrong and his dogged accuser Floyd Landis, and it was the unwilling host for headline-stealing revelations from the race’s first winner that would eventually prove true and rock the sport to its core. It all seems like an awful lot for one decade, but the UCI 2.HC race that started in the still-warm glow of Armstrong’s seven Tour de France wins, which have since been vacated by the UCI, continues to thrive and even expand this year. The eight-day race, an entity of Anschutz Entertainment Group, the world’s largest owner of sports teams and events, has grown into an important preparation race for the Tour de France in July. AEG invited 18 men’s teams to the race this year, more than ever before, and it has added a three-day women’s UCI race to the mix.

Peter Sagan finally earned his keep at Tinkoff-Saxo, claiming the stage victory in the Tour of California stage 4 in Avila Beach in a perfectly executed sprint to beat Drapac’s Wouter Wippert and Mark Cavendish (Etixx-Quickstep).

Sagan’s powerful jump overhauled late attacker Daniel Oss (BMC), and he was able to easily hold off the other sprinters.

Toms Skujins (Hincapie) was well protected by his team today and held onto the lead, now 22 seconds up on Sagan, with SmartStop’s Rob Britton now third overall after Julian Alaphilippe was called into service for Cavendish.

Sagan dodged a question about the pressure his team owner Oleg Tinkov has been putting on him to live up to his multi-million euro contract with more wins, dedicating his victory to his teammate.

“I’m very happy for this victory, and thanks to my teammates who did a very good job,” Sagan said. “This victory is for Maciej Bodnar who crashed yesterday very badly and went home this morning.”

The Tinkoff-Saxo team was down another man, Daniele Bennati who flatted before the finale, leaving Sagan with just three riders to usher him to the line.

He needed little help, however, as Etixx-Quickstep surged to reel in Oss, bringing him within touching distance just 200m from the line.

“I was in the group and my teammate brought me to the front for the last left corner, and as I was going on the front, Mark Cavendish was behind me. Maybe I took the turn better. From the last corner I just sprinted,” Sagan concluded.

Wippert was clearly disappointed at not taking the win, but he quickly put the runner-up result into perspective.

“You want to win, but it’s not bad to lose to [Sagan],” he said. “All due respect to him. He did a great job in the last 500 metres. I think we turned in the first corner with 500 to go like 10th and 11th or something. So actually I’m surprised I’m on the podium. I was just one gear too hard, and then your punch is not enough. So it is what it is.”

How it unfolded

The 173.1km stage that started in Pismo Beach and finished in Avila Beach, which is just a few kilometres up the California coastline, featured three intermediate sprints and just one category 3 climb halfway through the day.

Four riders escaped the bunch about 25km into the day. The group included Gregory Daniel (Axeon Cycling), Kiel Reijnen (UnitedHealthcare), William Clarke (Drapac) and Jesse Anthony (Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies. The quartet was soon joined by Daniel Teklehaimanot (MTN-Qhubeka) to form a lead group of five.

Skujins’ Hincapie Racing team controlled the pace at the front of the chase, and the gap went up to 3:40 before Etixx-QuickStep came to the front to lend a hand, obviously hoping to deliver Mark Cavendish to his third stage win of the week.

The gap started coming down at that point, and the breakaway started to fall apart about 30km into the race, with Daniel and Clarke dropping the rest. Daniel eventually dispatched Clarke as well, and continued on solo, possibly hoping to duplicate Skujins’ win the day before.

Daniel had 30 seconds with about 17km remaining. Hincapie and QuickStep continued to drive the pace, and the catch appeared inevitable as echelons started to form behind in the crosswinds.

But the wind never factored into the dynamics, rather it was the late attack of Oss, who tried to surprise the sprinters with a jump under the 1km to go banner. The move shuffled the lead-out trains, and Sagan prevailed in the ensuing chaos.

Skujins was proud to keep the lead after the Hincapie team controlled so much of the race.

“It was big for us just because it was hard because it was windy, but we kept it in check, and Quickstep did a lot of work. That was awesome. No other teams helped, which was surprising, because I thought MTN or Tinkoff-Saxo or Drapac would at least do something. But they all waited for the final. It worked out for us, so all is well,” Skujins said.

Results :
1 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo 4:06:56
2 Wouter Wippert (Ned) Drapac Professional Cycling
3 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Etixx – Quick-Step
4 Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Jamis – Hagens Berman
5 Tyler Farrar (USA) MTN – Qhubeka
6 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory Racing
7 Jempy Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team
8 Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing Team
9 Jure Kocjan (Slo) Team SmartStop
10 John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
11 Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin
12 Guillaume Boivin (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
13 Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
14 Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Cycling Team
15 Graeme Brown (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
16 Travis McCabe (USA) Team SmartStop
17 Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Axeon Cycling Team
18 Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
19 Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team
20 Robin Carpenter (USA) Hincapie Racing Team
21 Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
22 Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
23 Daniel Alexander Jaramillo Diez (Col) Jamis – Hagens Berman
24 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx – Quick-Step
25 Ben King (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
26 Koen de Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
27 Lawson Craddock (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin
28 Justin Oien (USA) Axeon Cycling Team
29 Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk
30 Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team
31 Dion Smith (NZl) Hincapie Racing Team
32 Fred Rodriguez (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
33 Haimar Zubeldia Aguirre (Spa) Trek Factory Racing
34 Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team
35 Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team
36 Eric Marcotte (USA) Team SmartStop
37 Gavin Mannion (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
38 Kristoffer Skjerping (Nor) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
39 Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk
40 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky
41 Joseph Lloyd Dombrowski (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
42 Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk
43 Angus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
44 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
45 Carter Jones (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin
46 Phillip Gaimon (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
47 Rob Britton (Can) Team SmartStop
48 Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk
49 Jay McCarthy (Aus) Tinkoff-Saxo
50 Alexandr Braico (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
51 Riccardo Zoidl (Aut) Trek Factory Racing
52 Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Team Sky
53 Ruben Zepuntke (Ger) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
54 Philip Deignan (Irl) Team Sky
55 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
56 Joey Rosskopf (USA) BMC Racing Team
57 Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek Factory Racing
58 Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
59 Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Axeon Cycling Team
60 Jacques Janse van Rensburg (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka
61 Matthew Busche (USA) Trek Factory Racing
62 Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Team Sky
63 Edward King (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
64 Gregory Obando Brenes (Crc) Jamis – Hagens Berman
65 Martin Kohler (Swi) Drapac Professional Cycling
66 Stephen Leece (USA) Jamis – Hagens Berman
67 Toms Skujins (Lat) Hincapie Racing Team
68 Chris Butler (USA) Team SmartStop
69 Ian Boswell (USA) Team Sky
70 Tom Zirbel (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
71 Michael Woods (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
72 Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Jamis – Hagens Berman
73 Laurens ten Dam (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
74 James Oram (NZl) Axeon Cycling Team
75 Daniel Eaton (USA) Axeon Cycling Team
76 Johann Van Zyl (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka
77 Jacob Rathe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
78 Kevin De Mesmaeker (Bel) Team Novo Nordisk
79 Joseph Lewis (Aus) Hincapie Racing Team
80 Geoffrey Curran (USA) Axeon Cycling Team
81 Danny van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing
82 Jordan Kerby (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
83 Steve Fisher (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
84 Danny Pate (USA) Team Sky
85 Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo
86 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Team Sky
87 Thomas Soladay (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:00:21
88 Evan Huffman (USA) Team SmartStop
89 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek Factory Racing
90 Matti Breschel (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:00:24
91 Jos van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
92 Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
93 Campbell Flakemore (Aus) BMC Racing Team
94 David Williams (USA) Jamis – Hagens Berman
95 Thierry Hupond (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin
96 Andzs Flaksis (Lat) Hincapie Racing Team
97 Nicolae Tanovitchii (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
98 Darren Lapthorne (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
99 Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step
100 Matthew Brammeier (Irl) MTN – Qhubeka 0:00:32
101 Michael Mørkøv (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
102 Joshua Berry (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
103 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx – Quick-Step
104 Travis Meyer (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
105 Daniel Summerhill (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
106 Dennis van Winden (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo 0:00:38
107 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Trek Factory Racing 0:00:39
108 Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
109 Yves Lampaert (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:00:45
110 Eric Young (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
111 Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:00:51
112 Martin Velits (Svk) Etixx – Quick-Step
113 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Etixx – Quick-Step
114 Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) MTN – Qhubeka
115 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN – Qhubeka 0:00:55
116 Joseph Schmalz (USA) Hincapie Racing Team 0:00:58
117 Travis Livermon (USA) Team SmartStop 0:01:06
118 Oscar Clark (USA) Hincapie Racing Team
119 Nathan Earle (Aus) Team Sky 0:01:36
120 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:03:06
121 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo
122 Daniele Ratto (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:05:23
123 Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) MTN – Qhubeka
124 Lasse Norman Hansen (Den) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
125 Gregory Daniel (USA) Axeon Cycling Team
126 Jesse Anthony (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
127 David Lozano Riba (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk
128 Robert Sweeting (USA) Team SmartStop
129 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
130 Carson Miller (USA) Jamis – Hagens Berman
131 Will Routley (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:05:27
132 Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk 0:05:29
133 Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:10:02
134 William Clarke (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling

General Classification after Stage 4 :
1 Toms Skujins (Lat) Hincapie Racing Team 18:10:57
2 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:00:22
3 Rob Britton (Can) Team SmartStop 0:00:43
4 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:00:44
5 Daniel Alexander Jaramillo Diez (Col) Jamis – Hagens Berman
6 Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo 0:00:47
7 Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team
8 Dion Smith (NZl) Hincapie Racing Team
9 Lawson Craddock (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin
10 Jay McCarthy (Aus) Tinkoff-Saxo
11 Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Team Sky
12 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
13 Joey Rosskopf (USA) BMC Racing Team
14 Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team
15 Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Team Sky
16 Michael Woods (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
17 Haimar Zubeldia Aguirre (Spa) Trek Factory Racing
18 Joseph Lloyd Dombrowski (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
19 Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team
20 Phillip Gaimon (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
21 Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Axeon Cycling Team
22 Ben King (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
23 Riccardo Zoidl (Aut) Trek Factory Racing
24 Matthew Busche (USA) Trek Factory Racing
25 Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling 0:00:56
26 Carter Jones (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:01:03
27 Ian Boswell (USA) Team Sky 0:01:13
28 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky 0:01:17
29 Philip Deignan (Irl) Team Sky 0:01:35
30 Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek Factory Racing
31 James Oram (NZl) Axeon Cycling Team 0:01:38
32 Gregory Obando Brenes (Crc) Jamis – Hagens Berman 0:01:54
33 Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Axeon Cycling Team 0:03:17
34 Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:04:23
35 Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team
36 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory Racing 0:05:43
37 Laurens ten Dam (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo 0:07:03
38 Jacques Janse van Rensburg (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka 0:08:10
39 Travis McCabe (USA) Team SmartStop 0:08:32
40 Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing Team 0:09:02
41 Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:10:47
42 Chris Butler (USA) Team SmartStop 0:11:06
43 Gavin Mannion (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:12:01
44 Ruben Zepuntke (Ger) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:12:23
45 Gregory Daniel (USA) Axeon Cycling Team 0:13:14
46 Danny Pate (USA) Team Sky 0:14:04
47 Alexandr Braico (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:14:06
48 Robin Carpenter (USA) Hincapie Racing Team 0:15:36
49 John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:15:45
50 Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Jamis – Hagens Berman
51 Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Cycling Team
52 Daniel Eaton (USA) Axeon Cycling Team
53 Geoffrey Curran (USA) Axeon Cycling Team
54 Oscar Clark (USA) Hincapie Racing Team 0:16:03
55 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:16:09
56 Andzs Flaksis (Lat) Hincapie Racing Team
57 Nicolae Tanovitchii (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
58 Daniel Summerhill (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:16:17
59 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Trek Factory Racing 0:16:18
60 Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:16:24
61 Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) MTN – Qhubeka 0:16:36
62 Angus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:17:36
63 Evan Huffman (USA) Team SmartStop 0:17:49
64 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Team Sky 0:18:15
65 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:19:05
66 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:20:15
67 Jempy Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team 0:20:35
68 Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:20:39
69 Tyler Farrar (USA) MTN – Qhubeka
70 Guillaume Boivin (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
71 Jure Kocjan (Slo) Team SmartStop
72 Koen de Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
73 Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk
74 Eric Marcotte (USA) Team SmartStop
75 Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
76 Danny van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing
77 Jordan Kerby (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
78 Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk
79 Justin Oien (USA) Axeon Cycling Team
80 Joseph Lewis (Aus) Hincapie Racing Team
81 Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk
82 Edward King (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
83 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek Factory Racing 0:21:00
84 Kristoffer Skjerping (Nor) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:21:01
85 Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo 0:21:03
86 Thierry Hupond (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin
87 Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) MTN – Qhubeka 0:21:06
88 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:21:11
89 Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk 0:21:14
90 Dennis van Winden (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo 0:21:17
91 Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Jamis – Hagens Berman 0:21:28
92 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:21:30
93 Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
94 Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk 0:21:34
95 Martin Kohler (Swi) Drapac Professional Cycling
96 Travis Meyer (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling 0:22:06
97 Travis Livermon (USA) Team SmartStop 0:22:07
98 Michael Mørkøv (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:22:19
99 Joseph Schmalz (USA) Hincapie Racing Team 0:22:33
100 Johann Van Zyl (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka 0:23:10
101 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
102 Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:23:27
103 Yves Lampaert (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:23:55
104 Thomas Soladay (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:24:04
105 Steve Fisher (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:24:08
106 Matthew Brammeier (Irl) MTN – Qhubeka 0:24:15
107 Will Routley (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:24:16
108 Campbell Flakemore (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:25:14
109 Jacob Rathe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:25:51
110 Lasse Norman Hansen (Den) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:26:02
111 David Lozano Riba (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk
112 Robert Sweeting (USA) Team SmartStop 0:26:20
113 Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo 0:26:23
114 Darren Lapthorne (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling 0:26:26
115 Jesse Anthony (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:26:57
116 Fred Rodriguez (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:27:03
117 Tom Zirbel (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
118 Stephen Leece (USA) Jamis – Hagens Berman
119 Eric Young (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:27:39
120 Joshua Berry (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:27:43
121 Wouter Wippert (Ned) Drapac Professional Cycling 0:27:47
122 Jos van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo 0:27:49
123 Kevin De Mesmaeker (Bel) Team Novo Nordisk 0:27:55
124 Nathan Earle (Aus) Team Sky 0:27:57
125 Martin Velits (Svk) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:28:49
126 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN – Qhubeka 0:30:31
127 Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:31:33
128 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:31:56
129 Carson Miller (USA) Jamis – Hagens Berman 0:32:50
130 David Williams (USA) Jamis – Hagens Berman 0:33:15
131 Daniele Ratto (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:33:21
132 Graeme Brown (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling 0:33:32
133 Matti Breschel (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:34:07
134 William Clarke (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling 0:37:16