Tour of California 2016 – Stage 4 [FULL STAGE]

May 18, 2016

Tour of California 2016 – Morro Bay – Laguna Seca – 215 km

The Tour of California (officially known as the Amgen Tour of California for sponsorship purposes) is an annual professional cycling stage race on the UCI America Tour and USA Cycling Professional Tour. It was first held in 2006. The eight-day race covers 650–700 miles (1,045–1,126 km) through the U.S. state of California. A typical edition might begin in Nevada City, travel through the redwoods, wine country and the Pacific Coast, and finish in a southern California city such as Escondido. The 2009 race crossed the Central Valley from Merced to Fresno, with an excursion through the Sierra Nevada foothills, before crossing over to the coast. The tour is sponsored by Amgen, a large California-based biotech company.

Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) won his second stage of this year’s Tour of California, edging out Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) in a close sprint in Laguna Seca.

The race split several times on the run-in to the line but Sagan marked several moves and despite numerical supremacy from BMC, the world champion came through to win ahead of Van Avermaet and Nathan Haas (Dimension Data). Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx Quickstep) finished in the lead group to keep his leader’s yellow jersey.

“I’m very happy,” Sagan said after a long day in the saddle. “I have to thank all my teammates because they pulled all day. Today was 220km almost and they were all the day in the front. In the last two climbs it was very hard, and then I was alone because the other riders did their job before. It was very hard to stay with the climbers, and everyone was attacking. When we came into the final kilometers it was in a descent, and Van Avermaet was the big favourite and he was always on my wheel. After the last turn I let one guy go in front of me, and he pulled my sprint. I was very happy to win.”

Alaphilippe took out the first intermediate sprint to extend his lead in the overall standings to 22 seconds over Peter Stetina (Trek-Segafredo). George Bennett (LottoNl-Jumbo) remains third at 37 seconds.

The Frenchman has been hedging on whether he can defend the yellow jersey for the rest of the race, and said today was a harder day than Tuesday’s stage 3.

“Today it was different. My legs were not so good, and it was warmer. In the last climb I was really suffering, and I wasn’t in a very good position for the last kilometer. I lost some time and I had to close the gap at the last turn. I did my best for the sprint, but it wasn’t my best day.

“I am taking it day by day. It was a different day today, but beautiful. I enjoyed my time in the stage, we are lucky to ride here. Tomorrow is another chance to take the victory and fight for the yellow jersey.”

How it unfolded

With the peloton staring down the barrel of 217 taxing kilometres along the California coast, the riders were unusually excited to race hard and shot out of Morro Bay so quickly that no attack could stay clear. The furious pace was kept up for a solid hour, with Alaphilippe taking out the first intermediate sprint, padding his lead in the GC by three seconds over Peter Stetina.

It wasn’t until 60km into the race that Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data), Michael Mørkøv (Katusha), Ryan Anderson (Direct Energie), Timo Roosen (LottoNl-Jumbo), Tanner Putt (UnitedHealthcare), Gregory Daniel (Axeon Hagens Berman), and William Routley (Rally Cycling) were given the go-ahead to ride away. They gained five minutes at one point, but the Etixx and Tinkoff teams kept tabs on them, bringing them back to under three minutes as they left Big Sur before easing up.

Routley snapped up all three category 3 climbs along the highway, doing his part to protect his teammate Evan Huffman’s lead in that classification.

The gap then went back out to almost five minutes again as Cavendish and his mates kept rolling through steadily, ignoring the final sprint of the day in Carmel Highlands in a desperate attempt to make the impossible happen – remaining clear of the peloton.

But the category 2 ascent on Laureles Road proved the breakaway’s undoing: only Daniel would remain out front by the top, being chased by a steadily shrinking peloton. Attacks from Cannondale’s Lawson Craddock and Andrew Talansky, LottoNl-Jumbo’s George Bennett, and Daniel Teklehaimanot (Dimension Data) all came to naught, and the Axeon rider’s lead was in the single digits as they reached the base of the final categorized climb toward Laguna Seca raceway.

He was caught, but his teammate Ruben Guerreiro countered and stayed clear just long enough to enter the race track in front. But soon the Sagan and Alaphilippe group swept past and began their preparations for the sprint.

Dimension Data’s Nathan Haas attempted to foil the fast men, but was caught before the crest of the corkscrew. Only a dozen riders made up the leading group on the descent, with Sagan and Van Avermaet tucked in. Haas found a second wind and led out the sprint but only served to drag Sagan to his 15th career win in this race. Van Avermaet came through in second, with Haas rounding out the podium.

Results :
1 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team 5:16:33
2 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
3 Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data
4 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
5 Tao Geoghegan-Hart (GBr) Axeon Hagens Berman
6 Neilson Powless (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman
7 Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team
8 Jurgen Van den Broeck (Bel) Team Katusha
9 Rob Britton (Can) Rally Cycling
10 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx – Quick-Step
11 Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo
12 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) BMC Racing Team
13 Andrew Talansky (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:00:03
14 Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky
15 Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Axeon Hagens Berman
16 Lawson Craddock (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling
17 Javier Megias (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk
18 George Bennett (NZl) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
19 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Trek-Segafredo
20 Laurens ten Dam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
21 Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Team Katusha
22 Daniel Jaramillo (Col) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:00:12
23 Travis McCabe (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:00:38
24 Marco Canola (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
25 Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky
26 Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) Dimension Data
27 Robin Carpenter (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
28 Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct Energie
29 Rob Squire (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
30 Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Giant-Alpecin
31 John Hornbeck (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:01:04
32 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:01:06
33 Sindre Skjøstad Lunke (Nor) Team Giant-Alpecin
34 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
35 Jacob Rathe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
36 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Direct Energie
37 Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
38 Tiago Machado (Por) Team Katusha
39 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Team Sky
40 Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo 0:01:14
41 Angus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
42 Maxime Bouet (Fra) Etixx – Quick-Step
43 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:01:25
44 Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
45 Phillip Gaimon (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling
46 Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:02:37
47 Timo Roosen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:02:53
48 Ryan Anderson (Can) Direct Energie
49 Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky 0:03:08
50 Michael Mørkøv (Den) Team Katusha 0:03:09
51 Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:03:25
52 Alex Peters (GBr) Team Sky
53 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
54 Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:03:28
55 Gregory Daniel (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:03:49
56 Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:04:43
57 Geoffrey Curran (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman
58 Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct Energie 0:05:49
59 Angelo Tulik (Fra) Direct Energie
60 Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk
61 Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman
62 Daniel Eaton (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
63 Dennis van Winden (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
64 Juraj Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:08:07
65 Michael Gogl (Aut) Tinkoff Team
66 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension Data
67 Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team
68 David Lozano Riba (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk
69 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data
70 Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
71 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
72 Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data
73 William Routley (Can) Rally Cycling
74 Toms Skujins (Lat) Cannondale Pro Cycling
75 Emerson Oronte (USA) Rally Cycling 0:08:19
76 Daniel Patten (GBr) Team WIGGINS
77 Julián Arredondo (Col) Trek-Segafredo
78 Romain Sicard (Fra) Direct Energie 0:08:22
79 John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:09:00
80 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha 0:09:02
81 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky 0:09:08
82 Andzs Flaksis (Lat) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:09:43
83 Taylor Sheldon (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:10:01
84 Lachlan Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:10:02
85 Jordan Cheyne (Can) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
86 Martin Velits (Svk) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:10:17
87 Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
88 Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin
89 Adam de Vos (Can) Rally Cycling
90 Markel Irizar (Spa) Trek-Segafredo
91 William Barta (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman
92 Krists Neilands (Lat) Axeon Hagens Berman
93 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
94 Michael Sheehan (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
95 Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:10:39
96 Evan Huffman (USA) Rally Cycling
97 Bryan Coquard (Fra) Direct Energie
98 Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff Team 0:11:46
99 Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team Katusha
100 Owain Doull (GBr) Team WIGGINS
101 Christopher Latham (GBr) Team WIGGINS
102 Ben King (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling
103 Patrick Bevin (NZl) Cannondale Pro Cycling
104 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
105 Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk
106 Christopher Williams (Aus) Team Novo Nordisk
107 Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling
108 Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk
109 Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk
110 Stephen Clancy (Irl) Team Novo Nordisk
111 Jake Kelly (GBr) Team WIGGINS
112 Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
113 Bryan Nauleau (Fra) Direct Energie
114 Mark Christian (GBr) Team WIGGINS
115 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step
116 Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
117 Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension Data
118 Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step
119 Adam Blythe (GBr) Tinkoff Team
120 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team WIGGINS
121 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team
122 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx – Quick-Step
123 Michal Kolár (Svk) Tinkoff Team
124 Marco Haller (Aut) Team Katusha
125 Matthew Brammeier (Irl) Dimension Data
126 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension Data
127 Michael Thompson (GBr) Team WIGGINS
128 Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha
129 Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky
130 Andrei Krasilnikau (Blr) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
131 Joseph Lewis (Aus) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
132 John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
133 Chris Putt (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
134 Danny Pate (USA) Rally Cycling
135 Ben Wolfe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
136 Pierrick Naud (Can) Rally Cycling
137 Wouter Wippert (Ned) Cannondale Pro Cycling
138 Andrew Tennant (GBr) Team WIGGINS
139 Niccolò Bonifazio (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 0:11:54
140 Oscar Clark (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:15:37
141 Jesse Anthony (USA) Rally Cycling 0:15:40
142 Erik Baska (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:16:45
143 Oscar Gatto (Ita) Tinkoff Team

1 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx – Quick-Step 18:06:17
2 Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:22
3 George Bennett (NZl) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:00:37
4 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:00:40
5 Neilson Powless (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:00:43
6 Laurens ten Dam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:00:49
7 Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:01:01
8 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) BMC Racing Team
9 Rob Britton (Can) Rally Cycling 0:01:12
10 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Trek-Segafredo 0:01:15
11 Andrew Talansky (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling
12 Lawson Craddock (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:01:18
13 Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:01:34
14 Javier Megias (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk 0:01:39
15 Jurgen Van den Broeck (Bel) Team Katusha 0:01:44
16 Tao Geoghegan-Hart (GBr) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:02:13
17 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:02:39
18 John Hornbeck (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:02:40
19 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:03:40
20 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Direct Energie 0:03:43
21 Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) Dimension Data 0:03:45
22 Rob Squire (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
23 Robin Carpenter (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:04:19
24 Maxime Bouet (Fra) Etixx – Quick-Step
25 Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data 0:04:57
26 Sindre Skjøstad Lunke (Nor) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:05:32
27 Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo 0:05:41
28 Daniel Jaramillo (Col) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:05:53
29 Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Team Katusha 0:05:59
30 Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:06:11
31 Angus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:06:55
32 Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:07:27
33 Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:07:55
34 Phillip Gaimon (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:08:01
35 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:09:45
36 Tiago Machado (Por) Team Katusha 0:10:03
37 Lachlan Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:10:50
38 Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data 0:10:58
39 Travis McCabe (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:11:37
40 Timo Roosen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:12:44
41 Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:13:16
42 Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct Energie 0:13:26
43 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky 0:13:35
44 Gregory Daniel (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:13:36
45 Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:15:25
46 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:15:28
47 Jordan Cheyne (Can) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:15:43
48 Geoffrey Curran (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:15:55
49 Romain Sicard (Fra) Direct Energie 0:16:13
50 Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky 0:16:34
51 Mark Christian (GBr) Team WIGGINS 0:16:44
52 Angelo Tulik (Fra) Direct Energie 0:16:57
53 Ben King (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:17:03
54 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo 0:17:28
55 Daniel Eaton (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:17:57
56 Michael Gogl (Aut) Tinkoff Team 0:17:58
57 Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team
58 Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:18:59
59 Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:19:07
60 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:19:38
61 Taylor Sheldon (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:19:52
62 Emerson Oronte (USA) Rally Cycling 0:20:51
63 Andzs Flaksis (Lat) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:21:05
64 Krists Neilands (Lat) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:21:09
65 Jacob Rathe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:21:19
66 Michael Mørkøv (Den) Team Katusha 0:21:27
67 Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:21:37
68 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:21:44
69 Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky 0:22:08
70 Juraj Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:22:10
71 Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:22:38
72 Marco Canola (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:22:43
73 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Team Sky 0:23:11
74 Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:24:00
75 Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct Energie 0:24:42
76 Alex Peters (GBr) Team Sky 0:25:30
77 Toms Skujins (Lat) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:26:25
78 Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk 0:26:47
79 John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:27:18
80 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:27:42
81 Danny Pate (USA) Rally Cycling
82 William Barta (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:28:25
83 Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:28:28
84 David Lozano Riba (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk 0:28:39
85 Andrei Krasilnikau (Blr) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:29:29
86 Markel Irizar (Spa) Trek-Segafredo 0:30:21
87 Adam de Vos (Can) Rally Cycling
88 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha 0:31:03
89 Michael Sheehan (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:31:11
90 Martin Velits (Svk) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:31:17
91 Evan Huffman (USA) Rally Cycling 0:32:28
92 Bryan Coquard (Fra) Direct Energie 0:32:44
93 Patrick Bevin (NZl) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:33:51
94 Niccolò Bonifazio (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 0:33:59
95 Dennis van Winden (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:34:05
96 Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:34:16
97 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:34:30
98 Ryan Anderson (Can) Direct Energie 0:35:06
99 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:36:17
100 Marco Haller (Aut) Team Katusha 0:36:19
101 Daniel Patten (GBr) Team WIGGINS 0:36:22
102 Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk 0:37:15
103 Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:38:13
104 Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky 0:39:29
105 Oscar Clark (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:39:48
106 Michael Thompson (GBr) Team WIGGINS 0:40:05
107 Chris Putt (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
108 Ben Wolfe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:40:12
109 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:40:25
110 Owain Doull (GBr) Team WIGGINS 0:40:38
111 Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:40:44
112 William Routley (Can) Rally Cycling 0:40:58
113 Julián Arredondo (Col) Trek-Segafredo 0:41:12
114 Jesse Anthony (USA) Rally Cycling 0:41:44
115 Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk 0:42:29
116 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team
117 Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:43:37
118 Andrew Tennant (GBr) Team WIGGINS 0:43:53
119 Pierrick Naud (Can) Rally Cycling 0:43:59
120 Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha
121 Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team Katusha 0:44:38
122 Wouter Wippert (Ned) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:44:59
123 Bryan Nauleau (Fra) Direct Energie 0:45:11
124 Jake Kelly (GBr) Team WIGGINS 0:45:19
125 Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:45:21
126 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data 0:45:31
127 Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff Team 0:46:16
128 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension Data 0:46:48
129 Adam Blythe (GBr) Tinkoff Team 0:47:59
130 Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky 0:48:07
131 Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk 0:49:13
132 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension Data
133 John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
134 Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension Data
135 Christopher Williams (Aus) Team Novo Nordisk
136 Stephen Clancy (Irl) Team Novo Nordisk
137 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team WIGGINS
138 Joseph Lewis (Aus) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
139 Matthew Brammeier (Irl) Dimension Data 0:50:06
140 Christopher Latham (GBr) Team WIGGINS 0:51:46
141 Michal Kolár (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:52:02
142 Erik Baska (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:57:00
143 Oscar Gatto (Ita) Tinkoff Team 0:58:36