Giro d'Italia Stage 4: Golas Makes Select Group on Rainy & Foggy Stage

Giro d'Italia Stage 4: Golas Makes Select Group on Rainy & Foggy Stage

Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team rider Michal Golas finished 21st, with a very select group of only 30 or so riders in the 246km Stage 4 of Giro d'Italia on Tuesday.

The weather conditions made it hard to see, and the roads slippery and potentially dangerous as the peloton reduced in number with each climb and descent of the second medium mountain stage in a row.

Enrico Battaglin (Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox) won the stage in the select group sprint, after they caught attackers Danilo Di Luca (Vini Fantini-Selle Italia) and Robinson Chalapud Gomez (Colombia Cycling Team) inside the final kilometer. Di Luca had a minimal advantage up until the 700m point.

Fabio Felline (Androni Giocattoli) was 2nd, and Giovanni Visconti (Movistar) 3rd.

Gianluca Brambilla crashed 185km into the stage. The Italian rider fell onto his right wrist and arm. Brambilla underwent immediate X-rays to his wrist after the finish, and results seem to exclude any fracture.

"I was riding in the peloton when suddenly somebody in front of me hit their brakes," Brambilla said. "I had to brake also, but somebody touched my bike from behind and I fell. Fortunately the speed wasn't so high. I had a few scratches and pain on my right wrist, but that's ok. It wouldn't be anything serious. Tomorrow I will be at the start."

OPQS looks next to a 203km flat Stage 5 on Wednesday, though there are two Category 4 climbs and an ascent into a undulating final 4 or 5 kilometers.

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