Giro d'Italia: Tim Wellens wins Stage 4, Rohan Dennis keeps lead

Tim Wellens of Lotto-Fix All has won Stage 4 of the Giro d’Italia in Caltagirone this afternoon as the race resumed on Sicily following the three-day Big Start in Israel.

BMC Racing’s Rohan Dennis retains the race lead by 1 second from defending champion Tom Dumoulin of Team Sunweb, with Mitchelton-Scott’s British rider Simon Yates, fourth today, moving up to third overall, 17 seconds off the lead.

Team Sky’s Chris Froome, who is targeting a third consecutive Grand Tour victory after winning last year’s Tour de France and Vuelta – the case relating to his adverse analytical finding for twice the permitted level of the anti-asthma drug salbutamol is ongoing – struggled on the final 800-meetre ascent and lost 27 seconds today.

A frantic finale had been predicted for the end of the 202-kilometre stage from Catania, and it didn’t disappoint with Wellens talking the win following the tough final climb from EF Education First-Drapac’s Michael Woods second and Enrico Battaglin of LottoNL-Jumbo third.

WHAT . A . FINISH!!!

A sensational end to Stage 4 of the #Giro101 pic.twitter.com/Ft2fU6AKgX

— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) May 8, 2018

After taking the second Giro d’Italia stage win of his career, Wellens said: “I was lucky enough to have very strong teammates. So I started with a bit of an advantage at the beginning of the climb. I didn't have to go full-on from the bottom; I could wait for the last 200 metres.

“I'm very happy with winning as early as on Stage 4 so the rest of the Giro will just be a bonus, whatever comes next. I'll ride stress free now.”

Dennis said: “It's been hectic with a lot of corners and a lot of public in the finale. It was a question of staying out of trouble from the last 10 kilometres until the bottom of the last climb. It's pretty common that I've lost the leader's jersey after one day in other Grand Tours.

“To retain the maglia rosa today is big for me.”