(Andora) During the fourth stage of his first Tour of Italy, Tadej Pogacar finally took his foot off the gas.
The Slovenian’s lead at the top of the general classification remained unchanged as he let the sprinters come into their own, including Jonathan Milan, who beat a large stage peloton in the final sprint.
Pogacar, who is trying to win the Giro and Tour de France this year, was the center of attention for the first three stages.
PHOTO JENNIFER LORENZINI, REUTERS
Tadej Pogacar
In the first, he immediately took the lead over all his competitors before finishing third in the sprint. He then took the pink jersey by winning the second stage, before coming close to surprising the sprinters with a late attack in stage 3.
On Tuesday, Pogacar stayed in the peloton, while Milan beat Kaden Groves and Phil Bauhaus to the finish line for his second career victory at the Giro.
Milan (Lidl-Trek) also took back the points classification jersey, which it won last year.
Pogacar, a two-time Tour de France winner, maintained a 46-second lead ahead of Geraint Thomas and 47 seconds ahead of Daniel Martinez.
Milan needed four hours 16 minutes and three seconds (4:16:03) to complete the 190 km from Acqui Terme to Andora, on a route that uses some of the routes of the classic Milan-San Remo. Groves and Bauhaus finished at the same time, as did Pogacar.
Canadians Michael Woods and Riley Pickrell respectively took the 122e and 132e places, 1:27 and 1:57 behind the winner.
Woods thus slips two places in the general ranking to 73e step. Pickrell, his teammate at Israel-Premier Tech, remained in 166e place.
A third category pass midway punctuated this day, followed by a short ascent of Capo Melo, less than three kilometers from the finish.
Francisco Munoz and Stefan De Bod, who were involved in an early breakaway, were caught by the main peloton with a few kilometers to go. Time trial specialist Filippo Ganna then launched a solo attack approaching Capo Mele, but was caught once the finish line was in sight.
The fifth stage on Wednesday will follow a 178 km route between Genoa and Lucca, a route which could allow another coup from Pogacar.
The Giro will end in Rome on May 26.