TNN Tackles Tour d’Azerbaïdjan Queen Stage

07 May 2016

Race: Tour d’Azerbaïdjan, Stage 4

Start/Finish: Gabala/Pirqulu

Distance: 115.3k kilometers

Pirqulu, Azerbaidjan – Following a cloudy stage 3, today’s Tour d’Azerbaïdjan queen stage commenced under blue skies. Once again, a breakaway formed in the race’s opening kilometers, today featuring riders Andreas Schillinger (Bora – Argon 18), William Clarke (Drapac Pro Cycling), and Kaspars Sergis (Alpha Baltic-Maratoni). But Sergis was dropped from the group soon after, leaving Schillinger and Clarke as the race leaders.

The duo worked well together, eventually establishing a lead of 4:10, and Schillinger took sprint and mountain points on the first two of the day’s three climbs. Clarke fell behind on the second climb, however, leaving Schillinger with a solo advantage. But with 25km to go, as the race approach its final climb, a determined group of chasers, which included several of the race’s GC contenders, started to chase him down.

Once Schillinger was caught, the attacks began, and the riders positioned themselves for the sprint finish, where Luca Wackermann (NASR-Dubai) edged out Nikita Stalnov (Astana City) and Rinaldo Nocentini (Sporting Tavira) for the win.

David Lozano (ESP) finished best for Team Novo Nordisk at 39th, 11:19 behind Wackermann. “Lozano tried to attack on the first climb,” Team Novo Nordisk Sport Director Massimo Podenzana said, “but he was unable to pull ahead and settled into the second group of approximately 50 riders. Tomorrow is the last stage, and we will go for the breakaway.”

Today’s stage also moved Markus Eibegger (Team Felbermayr Simplon Wels) into the lead in the general classification.

Results: