MADRID: Irish rider Dan Martin of the Garmin-Sharp team won the fourth stage of the Tour of Catalonia in impressive fashion yesterday, seizing the overall race lead in the process.
Martin broke clear with nearly eight km remaining of the 217.7km stage — the longest of the race — through the Pyrenees to the ski station of Port-Aine.
He finished 36 seconds clear of Spain’s Joaquim Rodriguez of the Katusha team, with Colombia’s Nairo Quintana, winner of the third stage, in third place.
Martin now leads in the overall standings from Rodriguez, with Quintana third.
Last year’s Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins came in sixth on the day and is fourth overall.
Earlier, race leader Alejandro Valverde has abandoned the Tour of Catalonia after crashing 119 km into the fourth stage of the event.
The Spanish rider and his Team Movistar teammate Eros Capecchi both had to withdraw from the race after crashing on a descent toward Seo de Urgel.
Valverde continued for another 10 km before finally pulling out, although Movistar confirmed they believe he has suffered only superficial injuries.
“Alejandro Valverde and Eros Capecchi have bruises all over their body, but we believe there is nothing more serious,” team manager Eusebio Nzue was quoted as saying on the team’s twitter page.
The former Tour of Spain winner had taken a four-second lead over Bradley Wiggins and Joaquim Rodriguez after the first three days of the tour.
Martin breaks away to win in Catalonia
