Not to be outdone by the Irish one-two the previous day, Elia Viviani led Liquigas-Cannondale teammate Peter Sagan over the line to take the fourth stage of the Tour of Beijing between Yan Qing Gui Chuan Square and the Shunyi Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Centre. Viviani was leading Slovakian champion Sagan out for the sprint at the end of the rolling 189.5km stage, but carried on sprinting under the threat of challenges from Juan Jose Haedo (Saxo Bank-SunGard) and Denis Galimzyanov (Katusha) on their right,
Vivani crossed the line just over half a length ahead of Sagan, who was beginning to come around his teammate, and the Slovakian just managed to get his tyre over the line ahead of Haedo in a photograph for third.
“It is very good for me. It is my only second season as a pro,” said Viviani. “I am young and I can now hope for the sprints next season in the big races.”
“It was a very fast sprint at the end of a very long stage,” he added. “The team was fantastic for me.”
The bunch sprint was only possible once the stage long break of Julien Berard (AG2R La Mondiale), Frederik Veuchelen (Vacansoleil-DCM), Iljo Keisse (Quick Step), Tiago Machado (RadioShack), Damiano Cunego (Lampre-ISD) and Wang Meiyin (China) had been closed down. The six riders led by just over five minutes in the first half of the stage but, once over the top of the final climb to Mutianyu Great Wall, the peloton reeled them in without any trouble, and they were caught inside the final ten kilometres.
With no time bonuses available, and with the entire peloton finishing together, there are no changes at the top of the overall standings. Tony Martin (HTC-Highroad) holds on to the red jersey that he took on day one, 17 seconds ahead of David Millar (Garmin-Cervélo).
The longest stage of the race also sees its longest breakaway
After just ten kilometres Machado, Keisse, Veuchelen and Berard jumped away from the peloton and, as soon as it was clear that this was the break of the day, Cunego and Wang bridged across.
The composition of the group, and particularly the presence of Machado who started the day in 24th place, trailing race leader Tony Martin by just 59 seconds, made things a little uncomfortable for the pelotion.
“The group out in front was really too big and it was not so easy to control the race,” said Martin. “It took a long time to bring them back. But in the end the team was riding really strong and everything was okay.”
After just 20km the six-man group had opened up a lead of four minutes, which was to grow to a maximum of 5’05” at the 70km point. Machado led over the 3rd category climb after 104.5km, and then the 2nd category Tuo Ling climb after 129km. Since the RadioShack rider started with no mountains points though, he was to be no threat to Igor Antón (Euskaltel-Euskadi) in the mountains jersey.
Garmin-Cervélo and Katusha were now lending their support to HTC-Highroad on the front of the peloton and the gap to the leaders was beginning to close.
Up ahead, track specialist Keisse was having problems staying with the pace on the gentle climb up to Mutianyu Great Wall. Once Cunego had led them over the top though, the Belgian managed to sprint back up rejoin the others on the descent.
The gap was now just 3’50” as the peloton passed over the top of the climb, and it was rapidly dropping as the sprinters’ teams began to lift the pace, with Saxo Bank-SunGard and Rabobank also coming forward.
With the climbing over the sprinters teams begin to take control
At the 25km to go point the sextet’s lead was down to 1’04”, and it was just 47 seconds as Keisse led them over the final intermediate sprint with 22.5km to go.
At this point, with the six leaders almost in sight, the chase eased up so as not to catch them too soon; inside the final 15km it was down to less than thirty seconds, as the commissaires removed the race vehicles from inside the gap. Break and peloton were both just going through the motions by now though, with the former resigned to being caught at any moment.
With 10km to go Katusha and Rabobank were leading the peloton, on behalf of Galimzyanov and Theo Bos respectively, but were still only slowly closing the gap. Just two kilometres later though, without putting up any resistance, the six riders sat up an surrendered to the inevitable.
"This morning I was willing to attack and I joined the real breakaway,” Cunego explained. “Despite the good cooperation with the breakaway mates, we could not resist the chase of the peloton.
“There was a beautiful landscape, with some views of the Great Wall,” he added, “and to win the mountain sprint dedicated to this great wonder gave me great satisfaction.”
With the breakaway over the peloton began to accelerate, with Team Sky and Lampre-ISD moving forward, and with 5km to go it was Team Sky and Katusha leading on the wide, flat roads towards the finish.
With 4km to go most of the Sky team was lined up on the front of the peloton, but Vacansoleil-DCM coming up one side and Liquigas-Cannondale up the other. Saxo Bank-SunGard tried to take control just before the final kilometre, but the British team muscled its way forward once more. The Liquigas-Cannondale train, which had been lurking just behind the leaders for several kilometres, then began to move up the centre with Sagan in position at the rear.
Suddenly Enrique Sanz (Movistar) launched his sprint, but the 22-year-old Spaniard had gone far too early.
Sanz’ slowing figure began to form an obstruction, around which the Liquigas train had manoeuvre, which disrupted the Italian team’s leadout of its Slovakian fastman. Viviani had Sagan on his wheel as he led up the middle of the road, but with Galimzyanov and Haedo threatening to overtake, he simply kept on going to take his eighth victory of the season.