Final KM: Tour of the Alps Stage 4

Stage four gave us tension and excitement. A breakaway caught at the flamme rouge, scares for the GC, and a full on unexpected sprint finish. More please.

Tour of the Alps Stage 4: Bolzano to Cles, 165.3k

Matteo Montaguti (Ag2r-La Mondiale) took his first victory in seven years, narrowly edging out Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) with Rohan Dennis (BMC) in third. The sort of result you might expect on a summit finish maybe? Not a bit of it. This was a sprint finish after a hoolie doolie of a stage where the break nearly made it, and Hubert Dupont (Ag2r-La Mondiale) gave Team Sky a heck of a scare. As it was Geraint Thomas (Sky) finished safely in the chase group to retain his lead, Pinot moves back to second place (+13secs) thanks to bonifications.

Highlights (we pick it up with 9km to go)…

What a finish…

View this post on Instagram

📷 : Cor Vos Matteo Montaguti (AG2R) wins the 4th stage of the Tour of the Alps (2.HC) just before Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) and Rohan Dennis (BMC). Geraint Thomas (Sky) is still the leader. _ Matteo Montaguti (AG2R) remporte la 4ème étape du Tour des Alpes (2.HC). Après que les 3 hommes qui s'étaient extraits du peloton à une trentaine de kilomètres de l'arrivée dans la dernière ascension du jour aient été rattrapés sous la flamme rouge, l'Italien de 33 ans a réglé le sprint d'un peloton de seulement 33 unités, devant Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) et Rohan Dennis (BMC). Geraint Thomas (Sky) reste leader du classement général. _ #MatteoMontaguti #Montaguti #AG2RLaMondiale #AG2R #ThibautPinot #Pinot #EquipeFDJ #FDJ #TourOfTheAlps #TourOfTheAlps2017 #TOTA2017 #Alps #velo #vélo #bike #bicycle #bicicletta #cyclist #cycliste #ciclista #cyclisme #cycling #ciclismo #RadFahren

A post shared by Cycling 🚴🏻 (@l_actualite_du_cyclisme) on Apr 20, 2017 at 1:26pm PDT

Chapeau Hubert…

I love days like these. There you are keeping half an eye on the race when suddenly twitter lights up. Hubert Dupont started the day at +1:02 from the lead. Attacked out of the peloton with 30km to go on behalf of his leader Pozzovivo. Made a huge solo effort to catch the duo out front. Gave it everything to keep the break away and for several glorious kilometres was the virtual leader. I don’t think anyone would have been upset to see him take his first ever win.

Watching a muted pirate feed of the Italian broadcast of #tota. No idea what's happening but Hubert DuPont is giving it the fucking beans

— tom owen (@owentcharles) April 20, 2017

Ride of the day to Hubert Dupont. Not easy being out there in no-man's-land for so long, real grinta from this guy #TotA

— Racejunkie (@racejunkieblog) April 20, 2017

Go Hubert Dupont – 13 years of pro @AG2RLMCyclisme – zero wins in his pro career. Is it going to happen? #tota

— José Been (@TourDeJose) April 20, 2017

Full report at Tour of the Alps site

Race Website Race Twitter #TotA