May 19, 2010 (Modesto, CA) – Stage 4, one of the longest stages of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California, took the cyclists from San Jose to Modesto on a beautiful ride through the open land of California. After a fast and furious start to the race, which began with immediate attacks, Francesco Chicchi (ITA) of Liquigas-Doimo celebrated a narrow victory to take Stage 4 of the Amgen Tour of California. American David Zabriskie (USA) of Garmin-Transitions was able to retain the overall lead and will wear the Amgen Leader Jersey for the second consecutive day heading into Stage 5 of the race.

“This was a great day. There were big crowds in Modesto and it was a nice course to be in this jersey,” said Zabriskie. “I’m an excited individual to be in the Amgen Leader Jersey in the Amgen Tour of California. I’ve never done it before and I’m very happy. I’m really enjoying it.”

Fans of the Amgen Tour of California may have recognized part of Stage 4 from the 2009 race when the cyclists traveled from San Jose to Modesto; however, in 2010, the racers encountered a longer and more challenging route. Stage 4 ran 121.5 miles/195.5 km and included two King of the Mountains (KOM) competitions and two sprints. After a two-lap neutral start in San Jose the cyclists were faced with a climb that is synonymous with cycling and the Amgen Tour of California, Sierra Rd. (Cat.1 – 1,930 ft.), only 8.1 miles into the stage. Prior to the climb, just after the neutral start, Rabobank didn’t waste any time and launched an immediate attack. With Lars Boom (NED) of Rabobank leading the charge, there was soon a strong breakaway heading into the first KOM of the day. As the breakaway of Boom, Jurgen Van de Walle (BEL) of QuickStep, Robert Britton (CAN) of BISSELL, Ryan Anderson (CAN) of Kelly Benefit Strategies and Jeremy Powers (USA) of Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda crested the summit of Sierra Rd., Anderson took the KOM, followed by Britton and Boom. Not far behind, a chase group of three formed that included Davide Frattini (ITA) of Team Type 1, Max Jenkens (USA) of UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis and Scott Stewart (USA) also of Team Type 1.

After completing the Sierra Rd. climb, the riders faced fast and flat roads full of twists and turns (Calaveras Rd. alone has more than 40 switchbacks) before visiting downtown Livermore for the first time. Heading into Livermore for the first sprint of Stage 4 with an amazing showing of fans along the route and a beautiful sunny day in the background, Boom took the sprint, followed by Powers and Anderson. After passing through the feed zone, the cyclists were faced with their second and final climb of the day, Mines Rd. (Cat. 4 – 1,512), where the riders faced nearly 30 miles of a narrow, twisting road, climbing most of the way before a long descent into Patterson. Anderson took the KOM, putting him in the lead in the KOM competition and securing the jersey, followed by Van de Walle, Britton and Boom, as the three chasers were swallowed up by the peloton, which had Team RadioShack and Garmin-Transitions riding tempo for most of the day, about five minutes behind.

About half way into the stage, Anderson fell off the back of the break and waited for the field to catch up. With only about 25 miles to go, the riders headed towards the second sprint of the day in Patterson, which was won by Boom, followed by Van de Walle and Britton. Reaching speeds of 55 mph during the stage, the sprint was followed by a decent sized crash, but all the riders recovered and continued on to the finish in Modesto.

Heading into the final stretch of the race Boom launched an attack, but was caught by Van de Walle and Britton, and soon after the entire breakaway was absorbed by the pack. For the second consecutive year, the stage finished with two circuits in downtown Modesto. In what was a photo-finish bunch sprint Chicchi took the win, with Juan Jose (J.J.) Haedo (ARG) of Saxo Bank in second and Mark Cavendish (GBR) of HTC-Columbia in third.

“I’m dedicating this win to my teammates who worked incredibly well for me today and this season,” said Chicchi. “I’m really proud to win again in the U.S. This is a great race – I love to race hard and win in America. To me, today felt just like the Tour de France.”

For Stage 4, Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey was awarded to Boom. Anderson took the California Travel & Tourism King of the Mountains (KOM) Jersey. The other jersey winners remain unchanged with Zabriskie in the Amgen Race Leader Jersey, Peter Sagan (ITA) of Liquigas-Doimo in the Rabobank Best Young Rider Jersey and Cavendish in the Herbalife Sprint Jersey.

Results

1. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 4:55:02
2. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank
3. Mark Cavendish (Gbr ) Team HTC-Columbia
4. Theo Bos (Ned) Cervelo Test Team
5. Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Fly V Australia
6. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) BMC Racing Team
7. Ken Hanson (USA) Team Type 1
8. Andreas Stauff (Ger) Quick Step
9. Alex Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
10. Guillaume Boivin (Can)SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
11. George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team
12. Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo Test Team
13. Daniel Holloway (USA) Bissell
14. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
15. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia
16. Aaron Kemps (Aus) Fly V Australia
17. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack
18. Martin Gilbert (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
19. Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack
20. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Transitions
21. Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
22. Matthew Crane (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
23. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1
24. Zachary Bell (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies
25. Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin-Transitions
26. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quick Step
27. Michael Friedman (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
28. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack
29. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Transitions
30. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Transitions
31. Neil Shirley (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
32. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia
33. Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank
34. Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1
35. Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
36. Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Transitions
37. Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Quick Step
38. Marc De Maar (Ned) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
39. Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team HTC-Columbia
40. Lucas Euser (USA) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
41. Benjamin Day (Aus) Fly V Australia
42. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
43. Phil Zajicek (USA) Fly V Australia
44. Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia
45. Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
46. Reid Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
47. Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin-Transitions
48. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
49. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank
50. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
51. David Boily (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
52. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Doimo
53. Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas-Doimo
54. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank
55. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step
56. Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step
57. Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
58. Paul Mach (USA) Bissell
59. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
60. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell
61. Jose Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Team Radioshack
62. Charles Dionne (Can) Fly V Australia
63. Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell
64. Bruno Langlois (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
65. Andrew Randell (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
66. Cody O’Reilly (USA) Bissell
67. Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank
68. Francois Parisien (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
69. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl ) Bissell
70. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
71. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step
72. Chad Beyer (USA) BMC Racing Team
73. Davide Frattini (Ita) Team Type 1
74. David Veilleux (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:19
75. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC-Columbia 0:21
76. Matthew Wilson (Aus) Garmin-Transitions 0:23
77. Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia 0:29
78. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 0:31
79. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team 0:45
80. Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step
81. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
82. Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 0:46
83. Thomas Leezer (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 1:20
84. Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Fly V Australia 1:24
85. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
86. Christopher Butler (USA) BMC Racing Team
87. Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 1:24
88. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
89. Jeremy Hunt (Gbr ) Cervelo Test Team 1:29
90. Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
91. Max Jenkins (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
92. Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team
93. Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervelo Test Team 2:09
94. Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack
95. Jason McCartney (USA) Team Radioshack 2:13
96. Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Team Radioshack
97. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Team Radioshack
98. Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
99. Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
100. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) Team HTC-Columbia
101. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
102. Thomas Rabou (Ned) Team Type 1
103. Darren Lill (RSA) Fly V Australia
104. Philip Deignan (Irl) Cervelo Test Team
105. Bradley White (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
106. Eric Boily (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
107. Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Type 1
108. Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team 2:54
109. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank
110. Oscar Pujol Munoz (Spa) Cervelo Test Team
111. Robert Britton (Can) Bissell
112. Ryan Anderson (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies
113. Karl Menzies (Aus) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
114. Simon Zahner (Swi) BMC Racing Team 3:04
115. Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team
116. William Dickeson (Aus) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 3:10
117. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
118. Peter Latham (Nzl ) Bissell
119. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Fly V Australia 4:18
120. Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Transitions
DNF Joao Correia (Por) Cervelo Test Team
DNF Aldo Ino Ilesic (Slo) Team Type 1
DNF Scott Stewart (USA) Team Type 1

GC after Stage 4

1. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Transitions 18:04:35
2. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia 0:04
3. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack 0:06
4. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Doimo 0:21
5. Marc De Maar (Ned) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 0:24
6. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack 0:27
7. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Transitions
8. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
9. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Transitions
10. Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin-Transitions
11. Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack
12. Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team HTC-Columbia
13. Jose Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Team Radioshack
14. Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
15. Phil Zajicek (USA) Fly V Australia
16. Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank
17. Francois Parisien (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
18. Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack
19. Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team
20. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 1:44
21. Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1
22. Lucas Euser (USA) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
23. Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo Test Team
24. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl ) Bissell
25. Paul Mach (USA) Bissell 1:49
26. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step 3:06
27. George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team 3:08
28. Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia 3:13
29. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank 3:14
30. Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas-Doimo 3:34
31. Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 3:54
32. Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team 4:38
33. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies 4:46
34. Max Jenkins (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 6:03
35. David Boily (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy 9:05
36. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 9:40
37. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Fly V Australia 0:10:25
38. Thomas Rabou (Ned) Team Type 1 0:11:17
39. Benjamin Day (Aus) Fly V Australia 0:11:18
40. Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team 0:11:52
41. Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:12:24
42. Simon Zahner (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:13:29
43. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 0:13:49
44. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 0:13:57
45. Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Transitions 0:14:19
46. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell 0:14:25
47. Chad Beyer (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:15:17
48. Christopher Butler (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:15:20
49. Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:16:22
50. Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Fly V Australia 0:16:53
51. Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step
52. Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 0:17:44
53. Aaron Kemps (Aus) Fly V Australia 0:17:51
54. Robert Britton (Can) Bissell 0:18:13
55. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 0:18:22
56. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team 0:18:36
57. Darren Lill (RSA) Fly V Australia 0:19:14
58. Karl Menzies (Aus) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 0:19:19
59. Davide Frattini (Ita) Team Type 1 0:19:21
60. Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 0:27
61. Ryan Anderson (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:20:44
62. Reid Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:21:15
63. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Team Radioshack 0:21:19
64. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 0:21:39
65. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quick Step 0:22:10
66. Oscar Pujol Munoz (Spa) Cervelo Test Team 0:22:28
67. Charles Dionne (Can) Fly V Australia 0:24:10
68. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank 0:26:56
69. Andrew Randell (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy 0:27:06
70. Michael Friedman (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 0:27:08
71. Peter Latham (Nzl ) Bissell
72. Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Transitions
73. Philip Deignan (Irl) Cervelo Test Team 0:27:58
74. David Veilleux (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:28:23
75. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:28:28
76. Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Fly V Australia 0:28:32
77. Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia 0:28:41
78. Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervelo Test Team 0:30:13
79. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) BMC Racing Team 0:31:30
80. Alex Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:31:36
81. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step
82. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 0:31:49
83. Matthew Wilson (Aus) Garmin-Transitions 0:31:59
84. Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step 0:32:21
85. Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:33:05
86. Mark Cavendish (Gbr ) Team HTC-Columbia 0:33:36
87. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 0:33:44
88. Bradley White (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 0:33:49
89. Andreas Stauff (Ger) Quick Step 0:33:54
90. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia
91. Theo Bos (Ned) Cervelo Test Team
92. Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
93. Ken Hanson (USA) Team Type 1
94. Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin-Transitions
95. Martin Gilbert (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
96. Daniel Holloway (USA) Bissell
97. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
98. Zachary Bell (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies
99. Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Quick Step
100. Neil Shirley (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
101. Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell
102. Matthew Crane (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
103. Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank
104. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank
105. Bruno Langlois (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
106. Cody O’Reilly (USA) Bissell
107. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC-Columbia 0:34:13
108. Guillaume Boivin (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy 0:34:14
109. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
110. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank 0:34:30
111. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step 0:34:39
112. Thomas Leezer (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:35:14
113. Jeremy Hunt (Gbr ) Cervelo Test Team 0:35:23
114. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) Team HTC-Columbia 0:35:53
115. Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 0:36:07
116. Eric Boily (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
117. Jason McCartney (USA) Team Radioshack
118. Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Type 1 0:36:45
119. William Dickeson (Aus) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 0:37:04
120. Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Team Radioshack 0:38:44