2014 Vuelta a España Stage 4: John Degenkolb sprints to 6th Vuelta victory
John Degenkolb (Germany/Giant-Shimano) had to switch leadouts inside Tuesday’s final kilometre to take his sixth career Vuelta a España win in Cordoba. Australian Michael Matthews of Orica-GreenEdge placed third to retain his red leader’s jersey.
The day’s breakaway was kept on a short leash in the searing heat, only pulling out a 4:00 maximum gap. There were two categorized climbs in the second half of the 164.7-km stage from Mairena del Alcor to Cordoba, and the escapees found themselves reeled in just before the summit of the first, a Cat. 3 ascent. Amets Txurruka (Spain/Caja Rural) burst from the peloton to take the maximum points at the top and then carried on with Jimmy Engoulvent (France/Europcar), who had been in the break.
Engoulvent was too cooked from the day’s efforts to do much work, and the duo was absorbed just after entering the 37-km finishing circuit around Cordoba. Within that circuit was the Cat. 2 Alto del Catorce Por Ciento, its 15% near the summit prompting Winner Anacona (Colombia/Lampre) to jump from the peloton and crest first.
With Anacona came Adam Yates (Great Britain/Orica-GreenEdge), Romain Sicard (France/Europcar) and, most intriguingly, Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar). The new quartet bombed down the descent towards the finish, but couldn’t hang onto a gap, getting caught by a 60-rider peloton with 9-km remaining.
Degenkolb had one teammate leading him within 2-km of the line with Matthews on his wheel in third, but a new, faster train formed to the right and both men made the transfer. Degenkolb then hit the after burners to round IAM’s Vicente Reynes (Spain) and achieve his sixpack of Vuelta victories.
Wednesday’s 182-km from Priego de Cordoba to Ronda should favour the sprinters.
2014 Vuelta a España Stage 4
1) John Degenkolb (Germany/Giant-Shimano) 4:02:55
2) Vicente Reynes (Spain/IAM) s.t.
3) Michael Matthews (Australia/Orica-GreenEdge) s.t.
46) Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Garmin-Sharp) s.t.
141) Guillaume Boivin (Canada/Cannondale) +13:44
2014 Vuelta a España GC
1) Michael Matthews (Australia/Orica-GreenEdge) 13:30:44
2) Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) +0:08
3) Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) +0:15
32) Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Garmin-Sharp) +0:56
130) Guillaume Boivin (Canada/Cannondale) +17:44
