Oman: Colbrelli sprints to stage 4 win
The Bahrain-Merida rider takes the victory in a bunch sprint ahead of Greg Van Avermaet.
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida) won stage 4 at the Tour of Oman Tuesday in an uphill sprint.
The 131-kilometer stage from Yiti (Al Sifah) to the Oman Convention & Exhibition Center ended in a bunch sprint that included more than 40 riders. Greg Van Avermaet (CCC Team) battled with Colbrelli on the closing meters but fell short, finishing second.
Clement Venturini (Ag2r La Mondiale) was third.
Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) retained his overall lead, as he holds a 14-second edge over Van Avermaet and an 18-second lead over Jesus Herrada (Cofidis).
“I’m very happy. I was looking for the victory and it arrived,” Colbrelli said. “My thanks go to all my teammates who have given me a lot of help all day long. I knew the last kilometer and I started sprinting at the right time. It was all perfect.”
A break of five riders got away early in the stage, and it wasn’t until the final few kilometers that the last riders in the group were swallowed up by the peloton as it charged toward the finish line ramp.
The race picks up Wednesday with the 152km stage 5, which starts in Samayil and finishes atop Green Mountain — a 5.7km climb with an average gradient of 10.5 percent.
