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[VIDEO] 2015 Giro d'Italia: Australia stays on top following Stage 4

Simon Clarke is the new Australian representing Australia at the top of the 2015 Giro's GC after four stages. (AAP Image/Julian Drape)
Roar Guru
12th May, 2015
4

Cannondale–Garmin’s lean season comes to a conclusion thanks to a superb breakaway victory by young Italian climber Davide Formolo.

The fourth stage of the 2015 Giro d’Italia proved to be an exhausting one for the peloton as only only thirteen riders finished with the group of favourites containing the likes of Alberto Contador at the finishing line in La Spezia.

The Maglia Rosa moves across from Michael Matthews to Simon Clarke after Matthews found the pace set by Astana too fierce, with Colombian team mate Esteban Chaves moving in to second just ten seconds behind.

Despite being relatively short at just 150 kilometres, the stage from Chiavari to La Spezia soon became one to remember as soon as the breakaway managed to establish itself with Tinkoff–Saxo’s Roman Kreuziger infiltrating his way in to the move. At one point threatening to hand the Giro d’Italia over to Kreuziger without a fight, with the time advantage growing out to over ten minutes, it took the forceful intervention of Astana to neutralise the dangerous situation.

The pace set by Astana however soon saw the peloton shred to pieces as rider after rider were unable to stay with the General Classification favourites over the hilly terrain.

Threatening to capture the lead breakaway of Davide Formolo, Amael Moinard and Giovanni Visconti before the summit of the Biassa, it was Formolo who attacked on the climb to keep alive the breakaway’s hopes of surviving until the finish for a thrilling stage victory.

Riding in his second season for the Cannondale–Garmin team, originally part of the Cannondale team during 2014 before the merger, the 22-year-old Italian lived up to his billing as one to watch for the future. Establishing a gap to his former breakaway companions over the Biassa, held off the group of favourites led by Astana all the way to the finish to win the stage by 22 seconds to Simon Clarke and Yonathan Monsalve.

Pre-race favourite Rigoberto Uran of Etixx–Quick-step lost time in the finale to his rivals after losing contact with the group of favourites to finish the stage 42 seconds behind the likes of Alberto Contador and Richie Porte.

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Other General Classification contenders to lose time were Jurgen Van den Broeck and Damiano Caruso, who finished with Uran at 42 seconds behind; Damiano Cunego, who finished one minute behind; Movistar hopeful Ion Izagirre, finishing four minutes down; and Ryder Hesjedal, who lost over five minutes.

Already, after just Stage 4 of the 2015 Giro d’Italia, the General Classification is beginning to take shape with the pre-race favourites towards the top of the standings ahead of the best of the rest, who are beginning to lose time to them. Out of the pre-race favourites Alberto Contador is currently the best placed in fourth, equal on time with team mate Roman Kreuziger in third, just 17 seconds behind new race leader Simon Clarke.

Tonight the race reaches its first summit finish as the peloton complete the difficult 152 kilometre-long journey from La Spezia to Abetone. With two hard days of racing through the hills of Liguria in their legs it will be interesting to see how the peloton tackles the stage, with many riders probably already wishing it was the first rest day.

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