Chris Froome retains Vuelta a Espana lead as Matteo Trentin wins stage four

Froome finished safely in the peloton to keep his red leader's jersey on a day when a technical approach to the finish line in Tarragona produced several crashes

Tuesday 22 August 2017 19:52 BST
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Chris Froome on the podium with the leader's red jersey
Chris Froome on the podium with the leader's red jersey

Great Britain's Chris Froome retained his slim lead at the Vuelta a Espana as Matteo Trentin became the 100th rider to win at least one stage in all three Grand Tours.

Froome (Team Sky) finished safely in the peloton to keep his red leader's jersey on a day when a technical approach to the finish line in Tarragona produced several crashes.

But the 198km stage belonged to the 28-year-old Italian Trentin, who secured the second stage win for his Quick-Step Floors team at the 2017 Vuelta.

Trentin had finished behind team-mate Yves Lampaert in Sunday's second stage.

But this time he out-gunned Juan Jose Lobato (LottoNL-Jumbo) to the line after the Spaniard had begun his sprint with 250 metres to go.

Trentin stayed tucked in behind Lobato, and was able to jump to the left nearer to the finish and take victory by a bike length.

"I was looking for a victory because I'm really going good in this last part of the season," Trentin told reporters after adding a Vuelta stage victory to similar successes at the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia.

"After my crash at the Tour de France I was thinking about coming here and winning stages."

On becoming the 100th rider to win a stage on all three Grand Tours, Trentin - who is heading to Orica-Scott for 2018 - said: "I will think about that in the future.

"But I am really proud to do this with the Quick-Step team because next year I am going to change (team).

"It is great to have these results with this team."

Froome remains two seconds ahead of David De La Cruz (Quick-Step Floors), Nicolas Roche (BMC Racing Team) and Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing Team) in the general classification heading into Wednesday's 175.7km stage between Benicassim and Alcossebre.

PA

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