Stage 4 of Tirreno-Adriatico is the first time the road goes up hill. In climbing terms it isn’t the hardest stage with 3 Cat 2’s and a Cat 1 but at 224km it will test the rider’s stamina. The finish includes two ascents to Crispiero (3.4k at 7.8%) and then a downhill.
Herklotz tops the favorites list. Is this stage where he takes control of the race? Guldhammer and Areruya are the next two, they will want to use this punchier stage to gain back some time they lost yesterday.
The first climb to Foce Dello Scopetone starts less than 10k into the stage. It is a 3.5 km climb averaging 6.6%. Chokri and Mannion have a 14 second gap on Lastra who is 37 seconds in front of the pack, which is still riding hard.
At the top Mannion takes the points ahead of Lastra and Chokri. They have 56 seconds on a group of 4 that has broken free from the peloton.
That group mops up the remaining points. With Prado (4 pts) leading Feng (2 pts) across, followed by Debesay and Kenyeres. They have a 45 second lead on the peloton. Feng and Debesay have been breakaway frequent flyers this race and the 2 pts put the ISA-Hexacta rider in a virtual tie for the KOM lead.
Feng and Kenyeres appear to have only been interested in the KOM as they drift back to the pack after the climb.
200km to go and the pack still chasing they have the remaining 2 from the 2nd group pegged at 32 seconds. The front 3 are a further 43 seconds in front. Long mostly flat section now before the Cat 1 climb.
Soon after the pack relents but that results in a new set of attackers, Bernard, Vosekalns, and Vingegaard, who are quickly closed down.
Next to try are Peters and Peak. Meanwhile Lastra has been dropped by the front two and is with the 2nd group on the road.
The latter two catch the front group but the peloton catches them all and with 178 km to ride the peloton is back in one piece (except for Goldstein who was dropped on the first climb and has been chasing every since).
Almost immediately there is a new attack and this group seems more acceptable to the peloton as with 164k gone they have just over 2 minutes. Lastra was considered a stage favorite so perhaps his presence was the issue before as the teams doing the chasing (EA, King Power, Popo) are not in this break either.
The new group includes: Bernard Vosekalns Eenkhoorn Mraouni Vanhoucke Ringheim Eenkhoorn is just 34 seconds off the GC lead. None of these riders have KOM points.
The first sprint point comes with 129km to go, the breakaway’s lead never went much about 3 minutes and is now 2’22. Mraouni takes it from Eenkhoorn and Ringheim.
Goldstein got to within 1’51 of the peloton but was not able to rejoin before the pace ramped up again. He is now 2’55 back and looking at a long, lonely ride home.
With 105k to go the peleoton is 3’28 behind the break. Soon the riders will face the Poggio San Romualdo (10km at 6.9%), the main obstacle of the day. Many teams working and while Herklotz is well placed, Puma have not been contributing to the chase.
First a sprint point, it is the same 3 as last time in a different order: Ringheim then Mraouni then Eenkhoorn.
5km to the top of the Poggio San Romualdo for the breakaway and their lead is 1’59. Popo4ever, Farfetch and EA Vesuvio pushing the pace in the pack but mainly with weaker riders.
1,7km to the top and Vosekalns attacks the break, the weaker riders are quickly in trouble.
At the top Eenkhoorn is the only one left with Vosekalns and he comes around to take maximum points. The rest of the break spread out down the mountain. The first place points give the Generali rider the virtual KOM lead.
The rest of the points going to the other breakaway riders except the last 2 which are taken by Kenyeres attacking out of the peloton.
67km to go for the peloton. After slowing on the climb Carlsberg is now pushing the pace on the descent with Olesen leading. They are 2’56 behind the front of the race which is now 3 riders with Bernard having rejoined the front two. Race leader Kemboi has been dropped from the peloton. Enger (4th) is the highest place rider still in the main group.
50km to go for the front 3, their lead is down to 1’49 under pressure from Carlsberg. Popo4ever and Huski also working. The rest of their breakaway companions have been caught.
With 45k to go Pluchkin flats but is able to hang on to the peloton.
With 41k to go, on a little rise in the road Vosekalns, attacks. Behind Puma and Mapei have joined the chase and the pack is very stretched.
Vosekalns is caught and counter-attacks follow. With 28km to go the lead is 1’04, 7 km to the beginning of the first ascent of the final climbs.
As the peloton reaches the base of the climb it is almost over for the break. Herklotz is well placed but a little isolated. The climb is 3.4k at 7.8%.
1.3km to the top. Yesterday Higuita was trying to catch the peloton, today he is leading it. The World Champion 2nd wheel. 6th placed in the GC, Bewley, is showing he isn’t done for (the Mapei rider about 4th wheel). Guldhammer on the wheel of Warbasse making sure there is no repeat of yesterday. All the favorites are in reasonable positions but some of the weaker puncheurs are dropping a little far back. Earlier Huski and Amaysim were trying to control the pace but they have given that up.
And soon after it splits with 29 riders up front. Berhane is the ISA-Hexacta rider scrambling across. Which means all the favorites are accounted for. Only Bewley remains up front separating Herklotz from the virtual GC.
As they start the climb for the second time Higuita is back on the front after getting help from Carsberg and King Power in the valley. The lead is 55 seconds over a group of 26 behind.
The Colombian drives the peloton to 1.5k from the top before showing any weakness. Bewley is still well positioned but also looks cooked. He only has 2 seconds over Herklotz in the GC so he has to stay up front. But if he can make it over the top then he has a downhill to recover.
500 meters to the top, looks like the GC guys are saving their powder. Areruya towards the back looks fine but doesn’t seem interested in taking advantage of his teammate’s work. A few riders have been dropped including Warbasse and the last Puma domestique, Egger.
And as they start the downhill Herklotz goes.
2.5km to go and he has the barest of gaps, but he is strong downhill so maybe he can hold it. Bewley is still in the chasing group so Herklotz needs a gap or bonus seconds to take the Blue Jersey.
500 meters to go and he has expanded his lead.
No curse of the Rainbow Jersey for Silvio Herklotz today, he is going to take the stage and the GC lead as he drives all the way to the line.
Godoy take 2nd ahead of Guldhammer and Padun.
The rest of the top ten are:
5th: Higuita
6th: Majka
7th: Roglic
8th: Areruya
9th: Smith
10th: Brambilla
Herklotz gets a 15 second gap. Bewley comes in 17th with the chasing group who all get the same time. He shows why he is legend by staying with the elite group but the brilliance of Herklotz means he is 2nd on the GC, 33 seconds behind.
Cattaneo takes GC 3rd. Huski take over the team jersey. Sivakov the young rider and Eenkhoorn the Mountains. Kemboi retains the points jersey for now.
Goldstein comes in 37 minutes down, safely within the time cut.
Tirreno-Adriatico 
