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Pogacar storms to Vuelta a Espana stage four solo triumph / Photo: © AFP
Pogacar storms to Vuelta a Espana stage four solo triumph
Cycling superstar Tadej Pogacar crushed his Vuelta a Espana rivals to clinch a sensational solo stage four victory on Tuesday and open up a commanding general classification lead.
The Slovenian, aiming to complete a Grand Tour grand slam, attacked with just over 50 kilometres remaining in Andorra's mountains, and crossed the finish line with the chasing pack languishing.
Jarno Widar and Felix Gall completed the day's podium in second and third respectively, both coming in 2min 39sec behind Pogacar as they beat out four other riders in a sprint to the line.
Already wearing the red jersey after winning the individual time trial on the first stage, UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider Pogacar's bid to carve out a significant lead was foiled on Monday by inclement weather.
Riders had to take shelter from a dangerous hailstorm in a nearby hotel in the Pyrenees and the third stage was abandoned.
So it was a day later than planned that five-time Tour de France winner Pogacar, hoping to become only the fourth rider to claim a Tour-Vuelta double in the same season, took full control.
Racing resumed on Tuesday with a short but tricky 104.8km course in the mountains with four categorised climbs.
Decathlon led onto the day's second climb, Collada de Beixalis, but Pogacar decided that was his moment to shine.
The 27-year-old, competing in the Vuelta for the first time since 2019, powered ahead, with Gall attempting to follow him.
Pogacar dropped the Austrian, who fell back to the chase group, and flew on ahead, creating a two minute gap.
The chase group expanded to nine riders, including Oscar Onley and Primoz Roglic, but Pogacar was three minutes ahead up the road at that point.
The unstoppable Slovenian pumped his firsts then raised his arms aloft as he crossed the finish line.
Widar and Gall edged out four-time Vuelta winner Roglic, Onley, Enric Mas and Sepp Kuss in a sprint to the line, after they had dropped Richard Carapaz and Mattias Skjelmose in the final stages.
Wednesday's stage five takes place in Spain, running 173.3km from Falset -- south-west of Barcelona -- to Roquetes, and offers the chance for a sprint finish.
W. Winogradow--BTZ
