Van Garderen keeps overall lead in Tour of Catalonia

Posted March 23, 2017 7:00 am

The Associated Press

IGUALADA, Spain (AP) - Tejay van Garderen of the U.S. successfully defended his lead in a Tour of Catalonia fourth stage that was cut short by 60 kilometers (37 miles) because of a snowstorm in northeastern Spain.

Nacer Bouhanni of France won the 136-kilometer (84-mile) stage after outsprinting Davide Cimolai of Italy in the final meters. Cimolai beat Bouhanni to win the opening stage on Monday.

Van Garderen finished 33rd with his BMC Racing Team to maintain a 41-second lead over teammate Samuel Sanchez of Spain. Geraint Thomas of Team Sky was another three seconds behind, and Alejandro Valverde was another second back.

Tour de France winner Chris Froome of Team Sky remained four seconds behind Valverde in the overall standings.

Valverde and the rest of the Movistar riders were penalized on Wednesday after some of them pushed each other in the second stage.

The fourth stage was originally to run from Llivia to Igualada, but the snow prompted the race to start 58 kilometers (36 miles) into the route, in the city of Montferrer.

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