Direct Energie's Bryan Coquard won the fourth stage of the 63rd Vuelta Andalucia.
With Alejandro Valverde back in the leader’s red jersey, stage four was a 179.3km stage from La Campana to Seville.
138 riders started a stage of three categorised climbs and after 27kms, Martijn Keizer (Lotto-Jumbo), Diego Rubio (Caja Rural), Jerome Cousin (Cofidis), Lukasz Owsian (CCC), Martijn Budding (Roompot) and Jens Walays (Sport Vlaanderen) were able to get into a break.
They had a lead of 2.45, ten kilometres after forming with Budding taking the Puerto de Las Minas and Puerto de Constantina climbs and Keizer taking the intermediate sprint.
With a hundred kilometres left to race, the gap was at 2.25 and seventy kilometres later, it was down to a minute with the peloton looking to reel them in.
Cousin was the last to be caught with 3.2kms and it came down to a sprint.
Bryan Coquard attacked and took the win in 4.10.33 ahead of Daniel Hoelgaard of FDJ, Hugo Hofstetter of Cofidis, Moreno Hofland of Lotto Soudal and Raymond Kreder of Roompot.
Alejandro Valverde keeps his lead by a second going into the final stage.
Article by Kev Monks for Digital Sports Group
Source: DSG
