Spaniard Luis Angel Mate (Euskaltel-Euskadi), 40, won the fourth stage of the Tour of Portugal this Sunday, finishing on the steep climb in Guarda. The cyclist from Malaga won there for the second year in a row, leaving no chance for his colleagues who accompanied him to the finish.
The rally on Sunday was marked by the collapse of Mauricio Moreira, who fell on the side of the road after suffering from a stomach problem that began on Saturday. The Sabgal-Anicolor cyclist was hospitalized after dropping out of the race.
As for Afonso Eulálio (ABTF-Feirense), he extended his lead in the overall standings by gaining time on all his rivals in an attack he made in the difficult last 300 metres.
The 164.5km ride started in Sabugal and saw an 11-rider escape that lasted five minutes. The real challenges came in the last 40km, with three mountain events – one 2nd and three 3rd category. The latter was a spectacle, with every rider giving their all to win the stage. Argentina’s Nicolas Tiwani (Aviludo-Luleto) managed to pull away by some distance, but was overtaken in the final metres by Luis Mate. Rafael Reis (Sabgal-Anicolor) was third on Sunday’s journey.
This Monday is a rest day for the rest of the 85th edition of the Grandíssima. Tomorrow the race resumes with the fifth stage, 176.8 km long, between Penedono and Bragança. Despite the ups and downs, the finish could be a sprint.
Author: Luis Oliveira
Source: CM Jornal
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