The Slovenian rider wins on Etna in similar fashion to his solo victory on Abetone in 2015.
The Luxembourger wears the Maglia Rosa just like last year.
Tomorrow’s stage TV live coverage starting from 13.05.

Etna, 9 May 2017 – Two years after he won climbing the Abetone, Slovenia’s Jan Polanc claimed the first uphill finish of the 100th Giro d’Italia as he soloed to victory on Mount Etna, surviving from a long breakaway despite the strong wind blowing on Sicily’s famous volcano. Luxembourg’s Bob Jungels – who wore the Maglia Rosa for three days last year – moved into the lead ahead of British riders Geraint Thomas and Adam Yates.

STATISTICS

For the seventh time in the history of the Giro d’Italia, there have been four different Maglia Rosa in the first four stages (in order: Lukas Pöstlberger, André Greipel, Fernando Gaviria and Bob Jungels). The record goes back to the 1958 edition that saw six different leaders in as many stages: Vannitsen, Baldini, Pambianco, Aldo Moser, Botella, Pettinati
Slovenia counts three different stage winners at the Giro d’Italia: Luka Mezgec (Trieste, 2014), Jan Polanc (Abetone, 2015 and Etna, 2017), Primoz Roglic (Greve in Chianti, 2016)
It’s the 24th Maglia Rosa for Luxembourgers. Just like his compatriot Charly Gaul in 1956 and 1957, Bob Jungels has conquered it at the age of 23 (in 2016) and again today aged 24
Jacques Janse van Rensburg is the first South African to win a KOM prize at the Giro. The first South African to participate in the Giro was Alan van Heerden in 1979

DOWNLOAD

Stage 4 Photo Gallery
Stage 4 Classifications
Stage 5 Maps
VELON DATA
Data collected by Velon’s devices on the riders’ bikes tell the detailed story of the stage. Data and an explanation guide can be downloaded here.

FINAL RESULT
1 – Jan Polanc (UAE Team Emirates) – 181km in 4h55’58”, average speed 36.693km/h
2 – Ilnur Zakarin (Team Katusha Alpecin) at 19″
3 – Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) at 29″

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1 – Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors)
2 – Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) at 6″
3 – Adam Yates (Orica – Scott) at 10″

JERSEYS

Maglia Rosa (pink), general classification leader, sponsored by Enel – Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors)
Maglia Ciclamino (cyclamen), sprinter classification leader, sponsored by Segafredo – André Greipel (Lotto Soudal)
Maglia Azzurra (blue), King of the Mountains classification leader, sponsored by Banca Mediolanum – Jan Polanc (UAE Team Emirates)
Maglia Bianca (white), young rider general classification leader, sponsored by Eurospin – Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors); the jersey will be worn tomorrow by Adam Yates (Orica – Scott)

PRESS CONFERENCE
Today’s stage winner Jan Polanc said: “We were only four riders in the breakaway. Two of them were already at the limit, so at the bottom of the climb, it was not difficult to drop them off. It was more difficult to maintain the difference with the bunch. I had to push as much as I could in the last few hundred meters. I knew the top favourites were chasing hard. I was thinking of this stage when we were here for a training camp with the team, so I went away knowing that if we were to be caught, I’be up there for my captain. It was a more difficult to win here today than on the Abetone two years ago because the climb to the Etna is steeper and there was much more wind.”

The Maglia Rosa, Bob Jungels, said: “Two days ago our move in the crosswinds was an intention but not a plan. This morning also, I knew there was a possibility to gain the Maglia Rosa. I had to stay in the wheels because there was a lot of headwind. An 18km climb is always a bit of a gamble. I struggled a lot to get in the first part of the group, but I managed to stay calm and follow my goal. I didn’t have too many things in mind until I heard [sport director] Davide Bramati screaming in the radio ‘go for pink’. I’m super happy that I can sit here. The colour of my jersey has changed but I still see this Giro as a milestone for my career. I’m hungry but also realistic. At the Blockhaus, Nairo [Quintana] and other skinnier guys than me might have an advantage.”

TOMORROW’S STAGE
Stage 5 – Pedara-Messina 159km – total elevation 1,100m
This is a half-wavy, half-flat, stage, with a closing circuit. The first 40km are fairly complex, as the route passes through several urban areas, with the main obstacles being roundabouts, traffic dividers, pedestrian islands, setts paving and speed bumps. Then comes an uphill stretch (Fornazzo KOM summit), followed by a fast-running and technical descent. The roadway narrows at points in Castiglione di Sicilia. Next, the route climbs up Taormina and descends to the feed zone along partly narrowed roads. Here the roadway becomes wider and mostly straight, leading to the final circuit.

Final kilometres
The final 6.3km circuit is to be covered once, on wide and straight avenues alternating with 90-degree bends. The route takes a U-turn with 1,500m to go, then a long home straight (descending slightly in the first part) leads all the way to the finish. The home stretch is 1,500m long, on a 7.5m wide, flat and asphalt road.

#Giro100

PHOTO CREDIT: LaPresse – D’Alberto / Ferrari

Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Instagram