Roman Kreuziger (Astana) secured his first win for his new team with victory in the fourth, final, and toughest stage of the Giro del Trentino, between Andalo and the Madonna di Campiglio. The Czech rider outsprinted breakaway companion Emanuele Sella (Androni Giocattoli) at the end of the mountainous 161km stage, with Yaroslav Popvych (RadioShack) following eight seconds later to take third place.
Almost as soon as the stage had begun, Popovych, Kreuziger and Sella got away; of the three, Kreuziger was the best placed in the overall standings, 3 minutes behind race leader Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) and so they were allowed a little freedom by the peloton. Very soon the leading trio was chased down by Matteo Montaguti (AG2R La Mondiale) and Angel Vicioso (Androni Giocattoli), who caught them after 30km, forming a group of five out front.
As the lading five passed through the town of Tione, after 38km, they led by 5’20”, meaning that Kreuziger was the race leader on the road. Lampre-ISD was in no mood to give away the race though, and refused to let the gap grow much wider.
At the mid-stage point, after 80km, the lead was still 4’20”, meaning that Kreuziger still led the race, but Lampre-ISD then began the slow process of pulling them back in.
After 97km, as they began the climb to the Passo del Ballino, the five riders led by just 3’20”, and it appeared that Kreuziger’s term in the virtual race lead would soon be over. The Lampre-ISD team were none too keen on bringing them back completely though, as Scarponi led Tiago Machado (RadioShack) by just 7 seconds, going into the stage, and if a breakaway were successful it would take up the time bonuses on the finish line.
"When the breakaway began, we controlled the race because we needed to limit the gap from Kreuziger and, in the same time, we had interest in saving the action of the attackers because they would have took away bonus to Machado,” explained Lampre-ISD director Valerio Tebaldi. “We did it in the best way and Scarponi could obtain a deserved victory in the final standing"
Over the top of the Ballino, and then the Passo del Duron, the fugitives’ advantage grew again, to approaching five minutes once more; as they approached the final climb to the finish at Madonna di Campiglio it began to tumble once again.
With 25km to go the five riders had four minutes over the peloton, but just 5km later it had been slashed to just 2’15”. Lampre-ISD was in control of the race and Scarponi was in the lead once more.
At the foot of the final climb the gap had increased to 2’50”, where it fluctuated as they counted down the kilometres to the finish. Almost as soon as the real gradients began though, Vicioso and Montaguti were dropped and caught by the peloton, leaving just the original three fugitives up the road.
As the peloton increased its pace a group of 12 riders detached from the front of the race, including Scarponi, Machado and third-placed Luca Ascani (D'Angelo & Antenucci-Nippo). They bore down on the three leaders but, with 2km to go, they still had 40 seconds.
The leading trio passed under the flamme rouge, marking the final kilometre, with 30 seconds over the chasing group; Kreuziger was the strongest in the sprint, with Popovych slightly distanced, and took the stage victory to go with the mountains jersey that he’d earned in the course of the stage
Scarponi’s group crossed the line 24 seconds back with all of the Italian’s immediate rivals for the overall standings. With all of the time bonuses taken by the breakaway riders the 31-year-old secured the race victory by that slim seven second margin over Machado.
"My aim in the Giro del Trentino was to test my form in view of the Giro d'Italia,” said Scarponi after his race victory. “I think that I'm good, and the victory in the overall standing indicates that I can maintain it.
“I'm also happy because I got confirmation that my teammates are strong and that they can face every kind if situation in the best way,” he added.
Result stage 4
1. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana
2. Emanuele Sella (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
3. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) RadioShack
4. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Europcar
5. Tiago Machado (Por) RadioShack
6. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-ISD
7. Luca Ascani (Ita) D'Angelo & Antenucci-Nippo
8. Jose Rujano (Ven) Androni Giocattoli
9. Fabio Duarte (Col) Geox-TMC
10. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago-CSF Inox
Final overall standings
1. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-ISD
2. Tiago Machado (Por) RadioShack @ 7s
3. Luca Ascani (Ita) D'Angelo & Antenucci-Nippo @ 33s