News – Froome in control at Ruta Del Sol

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Solo win for Chris Froome on stage 4 in the Ruta Del Sol to take the leaders jersey off Alberto Contador

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News – Froome in control at Ruta Del Sol

After Contador had his day on stage 3, it was Chris Froome’s time to dish out the pain, dropping Alberto Contador on the final climb and taking over the lead in the race.

Froome patiently waited for his moment on the final climb of the day with Peter Kennaugh and Mikel Nieve attacking off the front of the much slimmed down lead group before Froome applied the killer blow in the last kilometre and emerged triumphant.

The 28 second gap over second placed Alberto Contador, means Froome leads by two seconds and also has the King of the Mountain jerseys.

“I’m absolutely blown away to have pulled that off at the end there,” Froome told TeamSky.com. “I came into this race thinking that ‘I’m here to find my legs, test them, and see where I’m at’. To have been able to win the stage and go into the race lead today is incredible.”

“My team-mates rode exceptionally to set it up. They made the race as hard as possible on the last climb, attacking and really setting it up for me. It’s turning into a great dual between myself and Alberto. Yesterday he came out on top, and today it was me. I’m really happy with that, and how my team are riding. The new guys have integrated well and everyone’s got the bit between their teeth”.

“This race is not over until it’s over though. In the last few years I’ve learnt that Alberto never gives up and there’s a steep ramp at the end tomorrow which will decide things once and for all.”

Alberto Contador said after the stage “I’m satisfied with this tour, and of course especially with my performance yesterday. But at this moment of the season there will always be greater variations between the daily shape on each stage. Yesterday, I had a great feeling – today, I didn’t have the same legs”.

“After the stage yesterday, people said that I was perhaps in too good a shape at this moment in my race schedule. But everything is going according to the plan and I’m on track with my preparations ahead of my season goals”.

Hugh Carthy makes the day’s break

In the rain and cold, it was over 30 miles before a small breakaway including Hugh Carthy (Caja Rural) opened a gap but the peloton led by Tinkoff-Saxo were not letting the gap get too big.

The group though started to split as the climbing took its toll and with Tinkoff-Saxo on control of the peloton, Mirko Selvaggi (Wanty-Gobert) arrived at the bottom of the final climb alone after dropping Simon Geschke (Giant-Alpecin). Nicolas Roche and Kennaugh worked their way to the fore as the road went upwards and did huge turns at the front which saw the Italian rider caught with just over three k to go.

“Tomorrow (Sunday) is the last stage. It will be a fast one but the road kicks up in the very last kilometer. Normally the GC is set by now, but we’ll see what happens tomorrow”, says Tinkoff Saxo DS Steven de Jongh.

Stage
1. Chris Froome, Team Sky 5:08:54
2. Alberto Contador, Tinkoff-Saxo 0:00:28
3. Mikel Nieve, Team Sky 0:00:49
4. Sylwester Szmyd, CCC Sprandi Polkowice 0:01:12
5. Benat Intxausti, Movistar Team
13. Peter Kennaugh, Sky @1.49
77. Hugh Carthy, Caja Rural

General classification Result
1. Chris Froome, Team Sky
2. Alberto Contador, Tinkoff-Saxo 0:00:01
3. Benat Intxausti, Movistar Team

6. Peter Kennaugh, Sky

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