May 18, 2016 (Laguna Seca, CA) – Rally Cycling continued its aggressive riding today during stage 4 of the Amgen Tour of California from Morro Bay to Laguna Seca, 215km. As a result, Rob Britton moved into ninth place overall and Evan Huffman maintained his lead in the King of the Mountains competition. As in the first three stages, Rally Cycling infiltrated the day’s breakaway.

Today it was Will Routley’s turn to spend the day in front of the peloton. Routley, winner of stage four and the King of the Mountains in the 2014 edition, had two objectives for the day. The first was to win the stage, and the second was to take maximum KOM points to defend the lead of teammate Evan Huffman.

Routley accomplished the latter by winning the first three KOMs of the day. Heading into the second-to-last climb up the Laureles Grade, the break’s gap was down to just 1:40. With Ettix Quick-Step driving the pace in defense of Julian Alaphilippe’s yellow jersey, the break collapsed in the final kilometers of the ascent. At the top, only Greg Daniels (Axeon Hagen Bergen) was still clear of the peloton. On the rapid descent Daniels held his lead over the remnants of the peloton, but on the 16% climb into Laguna Seca he was reeled in.

“When they announced the stages, we decided it would be a stage for me to try and get in a break,” said Routley. “It was a good day to go in the move, but there was a lot of motivation to chase us down. We were flying, but we really needed a bigger gap going into the second-to-last climb. I was happy to score all those KOMs – Evan has been doing great and needed to take a day off.”

With Daniels caught, the final selection was made over the top of the final climb. Rob Britton made the front group, putting him in a good position for a high finish. The day would go to Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) with Britton crossing the line in ninth. Thanks to a 3 second gap among the top 10 on the general classification, Britton also moved up to ninth overall, 1:12 off the lead.

“The team was perfect all day,” said Britton. “They did a good job of not wasting energy and that was the main objective of the day. They positioned me at the very front going into the last climb and then it was up to me not to drop the ball. The last climb was really hard but I felt better today than yesterday, and better yesterday than the day before, so we are trending in the right direction.”

Tomorrow’s stage five of the Amgen Tour of California is a 130 mile trek with 6,600 feet of elevation gain from Lodi to South Lake Tahoe. While the men’s race makes its way across Northern California, the women’s event starts with a 72-mile loop around Lake Tahoe.

Jasmin Glaesser will lead the women of Rally Cycling. Joining her will be Kristi Lay and Redlands Bicycle Classic Queen of the Mountains Sara Poidevin. Tour of the Gila stage 4 and points competition winner Heather Fischer will be on the hunt for more stage wins. With the stage 2 team time trial crucial for the overall classification, Rally Cycling will include 2015 Junior World Time Trial Silver medalist Emma White. Hannah Ross, another strong rider against the clock, makes her return from injuries suffered at the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

Results

1. Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team 5:16:33
2. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
3. Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data
4. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
5. Tao Geoghegan-Hart (Gbr) Axeon Hagens Berman
6. Neilson Powless (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman
7. Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team
8. Jurgen Van den Broeck (Bel) Team Katusha
9. Rob Britton (Can) Rally Cycling  
10. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx – Quick-Step
11. Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo
12. Samuel Sanchez (Esp) BMC Racing Team
13. Andrew Talansky (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling (Nzl) (Nzl) 3
14. Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky
15. Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Axeon Hagens Berman
16. Lawson Craddock (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling
17. Javier Megias (Esp) Team Novo Nordisk
18. George Bennett (Nzl) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
19. Haimar Zubeldia (Esp) Trek-Segafredo
20. Laurens ten Dam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
21. Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Team Katusha
22. Daniel Jaramillo (Col) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team (Nzl) 0:12
23. Travis McCabe (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team (Nzl) 0:38
24. Marco Canola (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
25. Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky
26. Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) Dimension Data
27. Robin Carpenter (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
28. Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct Energie
29. Rob Squire (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
30. Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Giant-Alpecin
31. John Hornbeck (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team (Nzl) 1:04
32. Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team (Nzl) 1:06
33. Sindre Skjøstad Lunke (Nor) Team Giant-Alpecin
34. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
35. Jacob Rathe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
36. Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Direct Energie
37. Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
38. Tiago Machado (Por) Team Katusha
39. Xabier Zandio (Esp) Team Sky
40. Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo (Nzl) 1:14
41. Angus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
42. Maxime Bouet (Fra) Etixx – Quick-Step
43. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo (Nzl) 1:25
44. Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
45. Phillip Gaimon (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling
46. Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx – Quick-Step (Nzl) 2:37
47. Timo Roosen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo (Nzl) 2:53
48. Ryan Anderson (Can) Direct Energie
49. Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky (Nzl) 3:08
50. Michael Mørkøv (Den) Team Katusha (Nzl) 3:09
51. Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin (Nzl) 3:25
52. Alex Peters (Gbr) Team Sky
53. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
54. Danilo Wyss (Sui) BMC Racing Team (Nzl) 3:28
55. Gregory Daniel (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman (Nzl) 3:49
56. Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Etixx – Quick-Step (Nzl) 4:43
57. Geoffrey Curran (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman
58. Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct Energie (Nzl) 5:49
59. Angelo Tulik (Fra) Direct Energie
60. Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk
61. Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman
62. Daniel Eaton (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
63. Dennis van Winden (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
64. Juraj Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team (Nzl) 8:07
65. Michael Gogl (Aut) Tinkoff Team
66. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension Data
67. Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team
68. David Lozano Riba (Esp) Team Novo Nordisk
69. Mark Cavendish (Gbr) Dimension Data
70. Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
71. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
72. Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data
73. William Routley (Can) Rally Cycling
74. Toms Skujins (Lat) Cannondale Pro Cycling
75. Emerson Oronte (USA) Rally Cycling (Nzl) 8:19
76. Daniel Patten (Gbr) Team WIGGINS
77. Julián Arredondo (Col) Trek-Segafredo
78. Romain Sicard (Fra) Direct Energie (Nzl) 8:22
79. John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin (Nzl) 9:00
80. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha (Nzl) 9:02
81. Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky (Nzl) 9:08
82. Andzs Flaksis (Lat) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team (Nzl) 9:43
83. Taylor Sheldon (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:10:01
84. Lachlan Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:10:02
85. Jordan Cheyne (Can) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
86. Martin Velits (Svk) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:10:17
87. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
88. Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin
89. Adam de Vos (Can) Rally Cycling
90. Markel Irizar (Esp) Trek-Segafredo
91. William Barta (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman
92. Krists Neilands (Lat) Axeon Hagens Berman
93. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
94. Michael Sheehan (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
95. Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:10:39
96. Evan Huffman (USA) Rally Cycling
97. Bryan Coquard (Fra) Direct Energie
98. Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff Team 0:11:46
99. Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team Katusha
100. Owain Doull (Gbr) Team WIGGINS
101. Christopher Latham (Gbr) Team WIGGINS
102. Ben King (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling
103. Patrick Bevin (Nzl) Cannondale Pro Cycling
104. Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
105. Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk
106. Christopher Williams (Aus) Team Novo Nordisk
107. Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling
108. Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk
109. Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk
110. Stephen Clancy (Irl) Team Novo Nordisk
111. Jake Kelly (Gbr) Team WIGGINS
112. Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
113. Bryan Nauleau (Fra) Direct Energie
114. Mark Christian (Gbr) Team WIGGINS
115. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step
116. Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
117. Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension Data
118. Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step
119. Adam Blythe (Gbr) Tinkoff Team
120. Bradley Wiggins (Gbr) Team WIGGINS
121. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team
122. Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx – Quick-Step
123. Michal Kolár (Svk) Tinkoff Team
124. Marco Haller (Aut) Team Katusha
125. Matthew Brammeier (Irl) Dimension Data
126. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension Data
127. Michael Thompson (Gbr) Team WIGGINS
128. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha
129. Andrew Fenn (Gbr) Team Sky
130. Andrei Krasilnikau (Blr) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
131. Joseph Lewis (Aus) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
132. John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
133. Chris Putt (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
134. Danny Pate (USA) Rally Cycling
135. Ben Wolfe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
136. Pierrick Naud (Can) Rally Cycling
137. Wouter Wippert (Ned) Cannondale Pro Cycling
138. Andrew Tennant (Gbr) Team WIGGINS
139. Niccolò Bonifazio (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 0:11:54
140. Oscar Clark (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:15:37
141. Jesse Anthony (USA) Rally Cycling 0:15:40
142. Erik Baska (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:16:45
143. Oscar Gatto (Ita) Tinkoff Team

GC after Stage 4

1. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx – Quick-Step 18:06:17
2. Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo (Nzl) 0:22
3. George Bennett (Nzl) Team LottoNl-Jumbo (Nzl) 0:37
4. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team (Nzl) 0:40
5. Neilson Powless (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman (Nzl) 0:43
6. Laurens ten Dam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin (Nzl) 0:49
7. Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team (Nzl) 1:01
8. Samuel Sanchez (Esp) BMC Racing Team
9. Rob Britton (Can) Rally Cycling (Nzl) 1:12
10. Haimar Zubeldia (Esp) Trek-Segafredo (Nzl) 1:15
11. Andrew Talansky (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling
12. Lawson Craddock (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling (Nzl) 1:18
13. Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Axeon Hagens Berman (Nzl) 1:34
14. Javier Megias (Esp) Team Novo Nordisk (Nzl) 1:39
15. Jurgen Van den Broeck (Bel) Team Katusha (Nzl) 1:44
16. Tao Geoghegan-Hart (Gbr) Axeon Hagens Berman (Nzl) 2:13
17. Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team (Nzl) 2:39
18. John Hornbeck (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team (Nzl) 2:40
19. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team (Nzl) 3:40
20. Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Direct Energie (Nzl) 3:43
21. Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) Dimension Data (Nzl) 3:45
22. Rob Squire (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
23. Robin Carpenter (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team (Nzl) 4:19
24. Maxime Bouet (Fra) Etixx – Quick-Step
25. Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data (Nzl) 4:57
26. Sindre Skjøstad Lunke (Nor) Team Giant-Alpecin (Nzl) 5:32
27. Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo (Nzl) 5:41
28. Daniel Jaramillo (Col) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team (Nzl) 5:53
29. Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Team Katusha (Nzl) 5:59
30. Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-Jumbo (Nzl) 6:11
31. Angus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis (Nzl) 6:55
32. Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team (Nzl) 7:27
33. Danilo Wyss (Sui) BMC Racing Team (Nzl) 7:55
34. Phillip Gaimon (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling (Nzl) 8:01
35. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team (Nzl) 9:45
36. Tiago Machado (Por) Team Katusha 0:10:03
37. Lachlan Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:10:50
38. Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data 0:10:58
39. Travis McCabe (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:11:37
40. Timo Roosen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:12:44
41. Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:13:16
42. Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct Energie 0:13:26
43. Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky 0:13:35
44. Gregory Daniel (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:13:36
45. Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:15:25
46. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:15:28
47. Jordan Cheyne (Can) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:15:43
48. Geoffrey Curran (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:15:55
49. Romain Sicard (Fra) Direct Energie 0:16:13
50. Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky 0:16:34
51. Mark Christian (Gbr) Team WIGGINS 0:16:44
52. Angelo Tulik (Fra) Direct Energie 0:16:57
53. Ben King (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:17:03
54. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo 0:17:28
55. Daniel Eaton (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:17:57
56. Michael Gogl (Aut) Tinkoff Team 0:17:58
57. Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team
58. Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:18:59
59. Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:19:07
60. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:19:38
61. Taylor Sheldon (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:19:52
62. Emerson Oronte (USA) Rally Cycling 0:20:51
63. Andzs Flaksis (Lat) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:21:05
64. Krists Neilands (Lat) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:21:09
65. Jacob Rathe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:21:19
66. Michael Mørkøv (Den) Team Katusha 0:21:27
67. Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:21:37
68. Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:21:44
69. Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky 0:22:08
70. Juraj Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:22:10
71. Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:22:38
72. Marco Canola (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:22:43
73. Xabier Zandio (Esp) Team Sky 0:23:11
74. Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:24:00
75. Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct Energie 0:24:42
76. Alex Peters (Gbr) Team Sky 0:25:30
77. Toms Skujins (Lat) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:26:25
78. Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk 0:26:47
79. John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:27:18
80. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:27:42
81. Danny Pate (USA) Rally Cycling
82. William Barta (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:28:25
83. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:28:28
84. David Lozano Riba (Esp) Team Novo Nordisk 0:28:39
85. Andrei Krasilnikau (Blr) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:29:29
86. Markel Irizar (Esp) Trek-Segafredo 0:30:21
87. Adam de Vos (Can) Rally Cycling
88. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha 0:31:03
89. Michael Sheehan (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:31:11
90. Martin Velits (Svk) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:31:17
91. Evan Huffman (USA) Rally Cycling 0:32:28
92. Bryan Coquard (Fra) Direct Energie 0:32:44
93. Patrick Bevin (Nzl) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:33:51
94. Niccolò Bonifazio (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 0:33:59
95. Dennis van Winden (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:34:05
96. Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:34:16
97. Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:34:30
98. Ryan Anderson (Can) Direct Energie 0:35:06
99. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:36:17
100. Marco Haller (Aut) Team Katusha 0:36:19
101. Daniel Patten (Gbr) Team WIGGINS 0:36:22
102. Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk 0:37:15
103. Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:38:13
104. Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky 0:39:29
105. Oscar Clark (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:39:48
106. Michael Thompson (Gbr) Team WIGGINS 0:40:05
107. Chris Putt (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
108. Ben Wolfe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:40:12
109. Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:40:25
110. Owain Doull (Gbr) Team WIGGINS 0:40:38
111. Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:40:44
112. William Routley (Can) Rally Cycling 0:40:58
113. Julián Arredondo (Col) Trek-Segafredo 0:41:12
114. Jesse Anthony (USA) Rally Cycling 0:41:44
115. Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk 0:42:29
116. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team
117. Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:43:37
118. Andrew Tennant (Gbr) Team WIGGINS 0:43:53
119. Pierrick Naud (Can) Rally Cycling 0:43:59
120. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha
121. Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team Katusha 0:44:38
122. Wouter Wippert (Ned) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:44:59
123. Bryan Nauleau (Fra) Direct Energie 0:45:11
124. Jake Kelly (Gbr) Team WIGGINS 0:45:19
125. Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:45:21
126. Mark Cavendish (Gbr) Dimension Data 0:45:31
127. Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff Team 0:46:16
128. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension Data 0:46:48
129. Adam Blythe (Gbr) Tinkoff Team 0:47:59
130. Andrew Fenn (Gbr) Team Sky 0:48:07
131. Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk 0:49:13
132. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension Data
133. John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
134. Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension Data
135. Christopher Williams (Aus) Team Novo Nordisk
136. Stephen Clancy (Irl) Team Novo Nordisk
137. Bradley Wiggins (Gbr) Team WIGGINS
138. Joseph Lewis (Aus) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
139. Matthew Brammeier (Irl) Dimension Data 0:50:06
140. Christopher Latham (Gbr) Team WIGGINS 0:51:46
141. Michal Kolár (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:52:02
142. Erik Baska (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:57:00
143. Oscar Gatto (Ita) Tinkoff Team 0:58:36