Megias Jumps into Top 15 Overall at Amgen Tour of California

Race: Amgen Tour of California, Stage 4

Start/Finish: Morro Bay/Monterey County, California, USA

Distance: 134.8 miles, 217 kilometers

Monterey County, California — Team Novo Nordisk’s Javier Megias moved into the top 15 overall at the Tour of California after finishing 17^th on Stage 4. The Spaniard is 24 seconds outside of the top 10, the team’s goal for the race, with four days of racing remaining. 

“The guys did a really, really good job rallying around Javi and taking care of him, protecting him and putting him near the front for the finish,” Team Novo Nordisk CEO and co-founder Phil Southerland said. “We are a couple of steps closer to a top 10, which is where we want to be. The guys are really excited about that prospect, and it is our focus for the rest of the week.”

Stage 4 of the Tour of California featured five categorized climbs before an uphill finish on the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. A break didn’t form until nearly 40 miles into the 134.8-mile race. This eight-man break began to splinter heading up Laureles Road, a Category 2 climb situated five miles from the finish. An elite front group featuring Megias swept up all escapees as they reached the racetrack with Peter Sagan (Tinkoff Team) winning the reduced bunch sprint. According to NBC commentator Phil Liggett, Megias’ front group was made up of the best riders and they refused to go down. Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-Quick Step) remains the overall race leader with Megias in 14^th position, 1:39 behind Alaphilippe.

“It was a tough, tough day today. Yesterday, plus today, plus the day before makes this a tough stage race, so we are really pleased what we’ve done so far and showing what may be possible with diabetes,” Southerland said.”

Team Novo Nordisk continues racing at the Amgen Tour of California on Thursday with a 131.7-mile race beginning in Lodi. Stage 5 is nearly entirely uphill and features two categorized climbs before a summit finish into South Lake Tahoe.

Results: 

• 1^st: Peter Sagan (Tinkoff Team): 5:16:33
• 2^nd: Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team): same time as Sagan
• 3^rd: Nathan Haas (Dimension Data): same time as Sagan

Team Novo Nordisk Results: 

• Javier Megias: 17^th: 0:03 behind Sagan
• Joonas Henttala: 60^th: 5:49 behind Sagan
• David Lozano: 68^th: 8:07 behind Sagan
• Andrea Peron: 105^th: 11:46 behind Sagan
• Chris Williams: 106^th: 105^th: 11:46 behind Sagan
• Charles Planet: 108^th: 11:46 behind Sagan
• Martijn Verschoor: 109^th: 11:46 behind Sagan
• Stephen Clancy: 110^th: 11:46 behind Sagan