Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta del Sol: Team Bahrain Victorious' Wout Poels outsprints Alexey Lutsenko to land fourth stage
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Published 19/02/2022 at 15:55 GMT
Bahrain Victorious' Wout Poels edged out Astana Qazaqstan's Alexey Lutsenko to land the fourth stage of the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta del Sol. The pair broke away with around 15 kilometres to go, and Poels had enough in the legs to hold off his Kazakh opponent. Poels will hold the leader's jersey ahead of Sunday's final stage to Chiclana de Segura.
Wouter Poels of Netherlands and Team Bahrain Victorious celebrates winning ahead of Alexey Lutsenko of Kazahkstan and Team Astana – Qazaqstan during the 68th Vuelta A Andalucia - Ruta Del Sol 2022 - Stage 4.
Image credit: Getty Images
Wout Poels outsprinted Alexey Lutsenko after a late breakaway to take the fourth stage of the Vuelta a Andalusia Ruta del Sol - and the leader's jersey going into Sunday's final stage.
The pair extricated themselves from a larger group with 15 kilometres to go and had enough of a gap to keep their lead, with Poels edging the sprint to win by half a bike length.
The stage saw the riders roll out of Cullar Vega to take on a hilly, 167-kilometre route towards the finish at Baza.
Friday's third stage - which had seen Ineos Grenadiers' Magnus Sheffield take his first professional win - had involved plenty of breakaway attempts, and it was the same story on Saturday as a group of riders managed to get a lead of over two-and-a-half minutes with just 60 kilometres to go.
And it was from that group that Poels and Lutsenko broke off the front to get a lead of around 35 seconds as the final five kilometres approached.
From there, Poels - perhaps against the odds against the more-fancied Lutsenko - made it count.
The triumphant Dutchman said afterwards: "Lutsenko was going and I knew he was in a really good condition.
"But I was confident enough to start the sprint into a headwind, and it turned into a good one.
"We have the [leader's] jersey now so we're going to ride for it.
"The legs are good, so let's see tomorrow."
Poels will carry a lead of ten seconds over Miguel Angel Lopez into the final day, which sees the riders travel 146km from Huesa to the finish at Chiclana de Segura.
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