Markus Eibegger (NASR-Dubai) new leader after Stage 4
Race Report
Pirgulu, 7 May 2016 – After a hard uphill finish, just a few kilometres after an HC climb, Luca Wackermann (NASR-Dubai) won today’s sprint for the victory. He left two other riders behind him, Nikita Stalnov (Astana City) and Rinaldo Nocentini (Sporting Tavira), who were not able to follow Wackermann as he pulled away 100 metres before the finish.
After today’s stage there is a new leader in the general classification: Markus Eibegger (Team Felbermayr Simplon Wels). After being in the top five for almost every stage at this Tour, he now is rewarded with the blue Synergy leader’s jersey. Stage winner Wackermann claims the green points jersey after his sprint of today. There is also a new leader in the KOM classification, as Nikita Stalnov (Astana City) received the red jersey after his first place at the HC climb just before the finish. The best young rider is still Ildar Arslanov (Gazprom-Rusvelo), who also today showed that he could compete with the favorites.
Where clouds dominated the views in Gabala yesterday, today was a perfect sunny morning when the riders left this city for the Queen Stage. It didn’t take long for the breakaway to form, with Andreas Schillinger (Bora – Argon 18), William Clarke (Drapac Pro Cycling), and Kaspars Sergis (Alpha Baltic-Maratoni) moving clear of the bunch after just a few kilometres of racing.
After a short while, Sergis dropped from the leading group, leaving Schillinger and Clarke alone as the two leaders of the race. They worked well together, establishing a lead of as much as 4’10“ during today’s stage.
The first two intermediate sprints and the first mountain points on the first of the three climbs were won by Schillinger of the Bora – Argon 18 team. It was the same Schillinger who attacked on the second climb (Cat. 1), leaving Clarke (Drapac Pro Cycling) behind him. At the same moment, the peloton split, with all the favorites for the GC in the first group. Schillinger also won the mountain points on the second climb, with Clarke one minute behind him and the twenty riders who were the first group of the peloton.
Going into the final 25km, Schillinger was still leading the race with an advantage of 2 minutes heading for the final climb of the day (HC). This advantage was quickly reduced after the first part of the peloton (nineteen riders) started chasing, with Sporting Tavira in the lead. After Schillinger was caught, the front of the peloton started attacking. Nikita Stalnov (Astana City) was the first to the top of the final climb, but had company going into the final kilometre. In the final sprint, Wackermann was the strongest man, beating Stalnov and Nocentini.
Results
Stage 4 – Gabala – Pirgulu
1. Luca Wackermann (NASR-Dubai), 115.3 km in 02h54’35“
2. Nikita Stalnov (Astana City), s.t.
3. Rinaldo Nocentini (Sporting Tavira), s.t.
4. Markus Eibegger (Team Felbermayr Simplon Wels), 03″
5. Brendan Canty (Drapac Pro Cycling), 03″
General Classification
1. Markus Eibegger (Team Felbermayr Simplon Wels), 15h17’26“
2. Nikita Stalnov (Astana City), 02″
3. Rinaldo Nocentini (Sporting Tavira), „02
4. Daniel Schorn (Team Felbermayr Simplon Wels), 10″
5. Ildar Arslanov (Gazprom-Rusvelo), 13“
Jerseys
Blue “Synergy” (leader): Markus Eibegger (Team Felbermayr Simplon Wels)
Red “AZAL” (mountain): Nikita Stalnov (Astana City)
Green “SOCAR” (points): Luca Wackermann (NASR-Dubai)
Magenta “Ata” (young): Ildar Arslanov (Gazprom-Rusvelo)
Click here for full stage results.
Multimedia
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Rider Quotes
Luca Wackerman (NASR-Dubai, 1st place)
„After the podium places in previous stages me and the team are happy with the win today. It was a difficult final with a lot of attacks. But I felt strong and was happy to win the sprint.“
Markus Eibegger (Team Felbermayr Simplon Wels, leader GC)
„It was a hard fight to keep the leader jersey within the team. There were a lot of attacks so we had to decide which we had to follow, and after a bit of luck and a lot of hard racing we’re happy as team for another day in the leader jersey. Tomorrow will be a very attractive final, at least for the TV. I think we will see quite an interesting final tomorrow.“
Tomorrow: Stage 5 – Gabala – Pirgulu (115.3 KM)
Recent Stage 5 winners at Tour d’Azerbaidjan:
2012 Stage 5 – Baku – Baku: Nurbolat Kulimbetov (KAZ)
2013 Stage 5 – Baku – Baku: Tomas Vaitkus (LIT)
2014 Stage 5 – Baku – Baku: Justin Jules (FR)
2015 Stage 5 – Baku Circuit: Sergey Firsanov (RUS)
Signing-in: 9.15-10.15 all times local (EET)
Stage start: 10.30
General information
The national symbols of the Republic of Azerbaijan are the national flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the national emblem of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The national flag of the Azerbaijan Republic consists of three equal strips. The upper strip is of blue color, the middle-of red, the lower is green. In the middle of the red strip on both sides of the flag there is a white-color crescent and an eight-point star.
The National Emblem of the Azerbaijan Republic symbolizes the independence of Azerbaijan. The national emblem is the image of an oriental shield and a semicircle formed by the branches of an oak-tree and ears resting on it. The shield contains the image of a fire in the center of an eight-point star against a background of the colors of the National flag of Azerbaijan.
On the colour image of the National Emblem of the Republic of Azerbaijan star is white, flame red, branches of oak-tree green, ears are yellow colour. Frames of the shield and star as well as buttons of the shield and oak-tree cones are golden.
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