Pawel Cieslik wins fourth stage, Nikita Novikov retains overall lead in 2011 Tour of Slovakia
Bank BGZ team’s Pawel Cieslik won the fourth stage of 2011 Tour of Slovakia in Handlova on Tuesday, June 7. Nikita Novikov took his overall race leader’s yellow jersey.
Pawel Cieslik took a total of 3 hours, 52 minutes and 59 seconds to cover a distance of 160.8 kilometres. Ivan Stevic of the Serbia National team was the runner-up with the same timing of Pawel.
Andriy Khripta of the Kolss Cycling team finished third ahead of Ariel Maximiliano Richeze and Tosh Van Der Sande.
In the start of the race, Patrick attacked the race and took a lead in the six-member group. With Matej Jurco who also maintained his pace ahead of peloton. In the last ten kilometres, two riders, including Jimmy Janssens and George Hudecek quickly pushed
Tybor and built their advantage of four minutes over peloton. However, Patrik Tybor of Dukla Trencin-Merida grabbed the 76th spot.
After finishing the stage he told the media, "Too bad that we left the Belgian in the Tatras. The Congress of Strbske Pleso, we have a better chance to keep its lead. Peloton caught up with us this way. Since there are many chances for overall success we
have, we will at least show the team stage and achieve at least one good result. Too bad we do not come now to the end.”
All of them were caught by the peloton in the last kilometres and the new group was formed including, Pawel Cieslik, Ivan Stevic and Andriy Khripta. Ivan Stevic tried his best to take the lead, but he failed and Pawel crossed the finish-line without any
difficulty.
Itera-Katusha team’s Nikita Novikov maintained his overall lead with a timing of 15 hours, 3 minute and 46 seconds. Loborika Favorit team’s Tomislav Danculovic was runner-up with 10 seconds behind Nikita.
Kristijan Durasek of the Loborika Favorit team finished in the third spot with a difference of 14 seconds and the stage winner, Pawel, was in fifth spot.
The next stage will start in Cierny Váh/Vodné Dielo and end in Velký Krtíš. All the riders will cover a distance of 184.5 kilometres.
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