This third stage may look easy on paper, but the small hilly section halfway and another climb before the second intermediate sprint might make this a hard stage to control for a small pack.

Before the first sprint already, three Portuguese have mad a gap. Only the name of Sergio Paulinho might ring a bell.

With the help of some of our riders, the breakaway is neutralised with more than 30 kms to go.

With the second sprint gone, Omar Fraile plays his card. His gap is never big but his move forces sprint train domestiques to do some more work earlier on.

It still takes the pack quite some to catch him, until the point where there is less than 10 kms to go. Just before the 3 km mark there's a short moment of hesitation, and now Guerreiro tries his luck!

Unfortunately, his escape doesn't reach the line. Vanbilsen beats him in one of the most painful ways. The Portuguese photographer is shocked as well, he even forgets to take a shot of the finish.

Vakoc takes second, Guerreiro third. We also take note of a strong sprint by Martínez. Vandenborre doesn't really pay attention and loses over 2 minutes today.

1		Kenneth Vanbilsen	BMC Racing Team	3h36'59"
2		Petr Vako�	Etixx - Quick-step	s.t.
3		Ruben Guerreiro	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	s.t.
4		Roy Jans	Etixx - Quick-step	s.t.
5		Manuel Martínez	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	s.t.
6		Ben King	BMC Racing Team	s.t.
7		Francesco Gavazzi	Team Katusha	s.t.
8		Sergey Chernetskiy	Team Katusha	s.t.
9		Brice Derick Boupenga	W52 - Quinta da Lixa	s.t.
10		Andrea Palini	Lampre-Merida	s.t.

1		Laurent Didier	Radio Popular - Boavista	8h36'49"
2		Tiago Machado	Lampre-Merida	+ 14"
3		Sergey Chernetskiy	Team Katusha	+ 20"
4		Ben King	BMC Racing Team	+ 21"
5		Francesco Gavazzi	Team Katusha	+ 22"
6		Petr Vako�	Etixx - Quick-step	s.t.
7		Kenneth Vanbilsen	BMC Racing Team	+ 1'48"
8		Jan Barta	Etixx - Quick-step	+ 1'50"
9		Brice Derick Boupenga	W52 - Quinta da Lixa	+ 1'51"
10		António Carvalho	LA Aluminios - Antarte	+ 1'56"

Tamijo wrote:
Great stage from Guerreiro & Martínez , but sad that Vandenborre lost his GC.

04/08		135 km from Burgos to Burgos
05/08		155 km to Clunia
06/08		172 km to Ojo Guareña
07/08		157 km to Santo Domingo de Silos
08/08		164 km to Lagunas de Neila

		LATEST WINNERS:		GC FAVOURITES:
2016 -		Cyril Gautier		Mikel Landa
2015 -		Winner Anacona		Alejandro Valverde
2014 -		Nairo Quintana		Andrey Amador
2013 -		Nairo Quintana		Hugh Carthy
2012 -		Daniel Moreno		Beñat Intxausti

	TEAM LINEUP:
	Bilbao Pello
	Grijalba Fernando
	Intxausti Beñat
	Lature Aldo
	Ochoa Diego
	Saez Hector
	Tinajero Aridani
	Zardini Edoardo

It may not be that clear looking at the profile, but this flat stage ends with a short bump which should allow a GC contender to take the leader's jersey right away.

Enrico Barbin is the best-known rider in the breakaway. Thanks to strong climbing he also secures the KoM jersey, at least for tomorrow. They will never stand a chance for the stage against a chasing pack though.

The climb in the final kilometer feels like home for veteran Alejandro Valverde, who doesn't even need to sprint until the line. The Spanish photographer must've abandoned his spot to celebrate early on as it's his turn to miss the final shot.

Beñat Intxausti starts his sprint from far back but nonetheless manages to finish in 8th.

Stage 1 results:

1		Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	2h57'00"
2		Edwin �vila	Colombia	s.t.
3		Anthony Roux	Direct Énergie	s.t.
4		Rubén Fernández	Team Katusha	s.t.
5		Reinardt J.V. Rensburg	Roompot-Oranje Peloton	s.t.
6		Zico Waeytens	Lotto Soudal	s.t.
7		Edward Theuns	Lotto Soudal	s.t.
8		Beñat Intxausti	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	s.t.
9		José Joaquín Rojas	Movistar Team	s.t.
10		Diego Rosa	Astana Pro Team	s.t.

GC after stage 1:

1		Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	2h57'00"
2		Edwin �vila	Colombia	s.t.
3		Anthony Roux	Direct Énergie	s.t.
4		Rubén Fernández	Team Katusha	s.t.
5		Reinardt J.V. Rensburg	Roompot-Oranje Peloton	s.t.
6		Zico Waeytens	Lotto Soudal	s.t.
7		Edward Theuns	Lotto Soudal	s.t.
8		Beñat Intxausti	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	s.t.
9		José Joaquín Rojas	Movistar Team	s.t.
10		Diego Rosa	Astana Pro Team	s.t.

Today is another tricky stage for the GC contenders, we should try something to take back some of the time we already lost.

Once again there are several Portuguese riders in the BOTD, today accompanied by former Irish champion Brammeier. They build up a nice gap but the pack never loses control.

Near the end, Chávarri tries his luck, catching up with the breakaway and shattering it immediately afterwards. But his move is neutralised.

When the other favourites attack, Vandenborre reacts a tad late once again, but he manages to go with a second group. Chernetskiy and Vakoc battle for the win with the Russian outsprinting the Czech champion.

Half a minute later, Sam wins the sprint for third and he execrates himself for having reacted more sharply.

Stage 4 results:

1		Sergey Chernetskiy	Team Katusha	3h57'29"
2		Petr Vako�	Etixx - Quick-step	s.t.
3		Sam Vandenborre	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	+ 30"
4		Francesco Gavazzi	Team Katusha	s.t.
5		Jonas Ahlstrand	Efapel	s.t.
6		Tiago Machado	Lampre-Merida	s.t.
7		Joaquim Silva	W52 - Quinta da Lixa	s.t.
8		Ben King	BMC Racing Team	s.t.
9		Martin Kohler	BMC Racing Team	s.t.
10		Clément Chevrier	BMC Racing Team	s.t.

GC after stage 4:

1		Sergey Chernetskiy	Team Katusha	12h34'283
2		Petr Vako�	Etixx - Quick-step	+ 6"
3		Laurent Didier	Radio Popular - Boavista	+ 20"
4		Tiago Machado	Lampre-Merida	+ 34"
5		Ben King	BMC Racing Team	+ 41"
6		Francesco Gavazzi	Team Katusha	+ 42"
7		Kenneth Vanbilsen	BMC Racing Team	+ 2'08"
8		Brice Derick Boupenga	W52 - Quinta da Lixa	+ 2'11"
9		Clément Chevrier	BMC Racing Team	+ 2'17"
10		Joaquim Silva	W52 - Quinta da Lixa	+ 2'18"

This time I missed the finish because of a strange situation in the last kilometer. Chernetskiy and Vakoc had a gap but slowed down. When I saw a Katusha rider close to Vandenborre I thought the two groups had become one. I outsprinted the Katusha guy who I thought was Chernitskiy but with 600 to go Chernetskiy's name arose as winner of this stage. Serious mindf*ck and I was so surprised I forgot to take a screen, apologies for that

The Schleck Fan wrote:
Where are Efapel and W52?
Also,great results,keep them up.

sutty68 wrote:
Two good results for the team

Tamijo wrote:
Intxausti Shows good form in Vuelta a Burgos.
Very nice podium in Portugal

Kiserlovski01 wrote:


I'd say W52 is performing well so far with two guys in the top 10. Efapel has been less striking so far

The Schleck Fan wrote:
But they should be dominating

Kiserlovski01 wrote:


Quite hard when the in-game Volta a Portugal always attracts some WT teams, ánd Caja Rural

All 4 flat stages here in Burgos have been made using the same recipe: a flat preamble followed by a short uphill sector which decides what puncher takes it today.

An interesting group containing Dehaes, Turgis and Poulhiès gets a little bit of playing time, their situation is as hopeless as the weather today. Once the break has been neutralised, a high pace is maintained to the foot of the climb towards the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Clunia.

And once again el Imbatido shows he's still got it: 2 wins out of 2 stages for Valverde. Bilbao and Intxausti both grab a top 10 finish.

Tamijo wrote:
Another fine result while awaiting the explosion on the mountain stage

sutty68 wrote:
Keep fighting

Tamijo wrote:
Sam back in top 10 in Portugal. Great performance. With some hard stages left, not that far from a podium if everything turns out perfectly.