Clipping away with five kilometres to go, Italian rider Davide Torosantucci sped to victory on today’s fourth stage of the Cell C Tour of South Africa. The d'Angelo & Antenucci – Nippo competitor hit the line 18 seconds ahead of Kévin Reza (Team Europcar) and Darren Lill (DCM), who were in turn four further seconds ahead of 15 man chase group.
“I was really angry with the team yesterday when we had no one in front,” said his director sportif Alberto Elli, a former pro who wore the Maillot Jaune in the Tour de France. “Torosantucci is a good climber, so I am glad he could win today.”
Stage one winner Kristian House finished in this front group of riders and held onto the yellow jersey he took last week. With three days remaining, the Rapha Condor-Sharp rider is inching closer and closer to the final overall victory, and while attacks are guaranteed between now and Sunday, he still maintains a considerable advantage.
A sextet of riders led by South African TT champion Daryl Impey (MTN Qhubeka) and Johann Rabie (Team Bonitas) are two minutes 22 seconds back, and know they must fight extremely hard to be able to get back on terms.
Today’s stage saw an early rupturing of the peloton, which shed a quarter of its number on the first of four climbs. House’s team-mate Jonathan Tiernan-Locke beat South African TT champion and former RadioShack rider Daryl Impey (MTN Qhubeka) to the top of this and the second ascent, Piesang Valley Climb, then Jay Thomson jumped clear alone and built a lead of two and a half minutes.
The Team 360 rider – who usually races with Bissell Pro Cycling – picked up the next KOM prime, 95.5 kilometres after the start, but he was then caught. The final climb of the day saw a serious ramping up of pace and when Impey grabbed top points at the prime line, a dozen riders had wrested clear of the rest of the peloton. These sped onwards, only to be surprised when yellow jersey wearer House accelerated clear seven kilometres from the line.
As expected, he was hauled back and then Torosantucci seized his chance and kicked clear, opening a good gap and reaching the line 18 seconds clear of the next riders.
House kept tabs on the danger men and ended the stage two minutes and 22 seconds ahead of Impey, Rabie, former Tour de Langkawi champion David George (360 Life), plus three others. His team-mate Tiernan-Locke was aiming to ensure the team had two classification jerseys, but had to be satisfied with second overall in the king of the mountains classification behind Impey.
The 2.2-ranked event continues tomorrow with a 175 kilometre stage from Oudtshoorn to Barrydale.
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Tour of South Africa (2.2), Feb 19-26:
Stage 4, Feb 23: Bloukrans Bridge – George:
1, Davide Torosantucci (d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo) 153 kilometres in 3 hours 30 mins 22 secs
2, Kévin Reza (Team Europcar) at 18 secs
3, Darren Lill (DCM) same time
4, Johann Rabie (Team Bonitas) at 22 secs
5, Jean-Pierre Drucker (Veranda's Willems - Accent)
6, Milan Kadlec (Czech Republic)
7, Giovanni Bernaudeau (Team Europcar)
8, Alex Meenhorst (Team Differdange - Magic-Sportfood.de)
9, Daryl Impey (MTN Qhubeka)
10, William Dugan (Team Type 1 - Sanofi Aventis)
11, Kristian House (Rapha Condor - Sharp)
12, Perrig Quemeneur (Team Europcar)
13, Christopher Jennings (Burgos 2016 - Castilla y León)
14, Thomas Degand (Veranda's Willems - Accent)
15, David George (360 Life) all same time
KOM prime at Natures Valley Climb, 18.0km:
1, Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (Rapha Condor - Sharp) 12 pts
2, Daryl Impey (MTN Qhubeka) 10
3, David George (360 Life) 8
KOM prime at Piesang Valley Climb, 55.9km:
1, Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (Rapha Condor - Sharp) 10 pts
2, Daryl Impey (MTN Qhubeka) 8
3, Daniel Teklehaimanot (UCI African Team) 6
KOM prime 3, 95.5km:
1, Jay Thomson (360 Life) 8 pts
2, Daryl Impey (MTN Qhubeka) 6
3, Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (Rapha Condor - Sharp) 5
KOM prime 4, 135.3km:
1, Daryl Impey (MTN Qhubeka) 10 pts
2, Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (Rapha Condor - Sharp) 8
3, Tsgabu Gebremaryam Grmay (UCI African Team) 6
General classification after stage 4:
1, Kristian House (Rapha Condor – Sharp) 11 hours 18 mins 14 secs
2, Daryl Impey (MTN Qhubeka) at 2 mins 22 secs
3, Johann Rabie (Team Bonitas)
4, David George (360 Life)
5, Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (Burgos 2016 - Castilla y León)
6, Perrig Quemeneur (Team Europcar)
7, Thomas Degand (Veranda's Willems - Accent) all same time
8, Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (Rapha Condor - Sharp) at 2 mins 25 secs
9, Kévin Reza (Team Europcar) at 3 mins
10, Darren Lill (DCM) same time
11, William Dugan (Team Type 1 - Sanofi Aventis) at 3 mins 4 secs
12, Alex Meenhorst (Team Differdange - Magic-Sportfood.de)
13, Jean-Pierre Drucker (Veranda's Willems - Accent)
14, Milan Kadlec (Czech Republic)
15, Christopher Jennings (Burgos 2016 - Castilla y León) all same time
King of the mountains classification:
1, Daryl Impey (MTN Qhubeka) 58 pts
2, Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (Rapha Condor - Sharp) 51
3, David George (360 Life) 19
4, Johann Rabie (Team Bonitas) 14
5, Tony Hurel (Team Europcar) 13
6, Daniel Teklehaimanot (UCI African Team) 10
Young rider:
1, Kévin Reza (Team Europcar) 11 hours 21 mins 14 secs
2, Christopher Jennings (Burgos 2016 - Castilla y León) at 4 secs
3, Remco Broers (Team Differdange - Magic-Sportfood.de) at 1 min 16 secs
4, Daniel Teklehaimanot (UCI African Team) at 2 mins 5 secs
5, Tsgabu Gebremaryam Grmay (UCI African Team)
6, Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (MTN Qhubeka) at 3 mins 33 secs
African rider:
1, Daryl Impey (MTN Qhubeka) 11 hours 20 mins 36 secs
2, Johann Rabie (Team Bonitas)
3, David George (360 Life)
4, Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (Burgos 2016 - Castilla y León) all same time
5, Darren Lill (DCM) at 38 secs
6, Christopher Jennings (Burgos 2016 - Castilla y León) at 42 secs
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Thanks to Xylon van Eyck for contributing to this report