Jan Polanc wins stage 4 on Mount Etna

Jan Polanc (UAE Team Emirates) hung on from an early break to take a highly deserved win on top of Mount Etna. Bob Jungels took the Maglia Rosa

With 16.3 kms to go, Polanc attacked his remaining breakaway companions, and soloed up the climb of Mount Etna.

With around 10 kms to go, the head of the race contained all the favorites, with around 30 riders left from the peloton of a 179 riders.

With 2.5 kms to go, Nibali attacked but Movistar's Atapuma easily brought him back, Quintana looking very comfortable.

With 1 km to go, Ilnur Zakarin attacked to try and regain some valueable time lost on previous stages and picked up 6 bonus time seconds.

Geraint Thomas sprinted to 3rd place in front of Thibaut Pinot, picking up 4 bonus time seconds, to put him in second place overall.

Maglia Rosa wearer and sprinter Gaviria was dropped on the lower slopes of the climb as predicted, and seemed happy to have worked for his team until the base of the climb of Mount Etna.

Team mate Bob Jungels, who finished in the front group on the previous windy stage 3, took the Maglia Rosa from him.

Tejay Van Garderen (BMC Racing) said “It was quite a quick day, with a stiff tailwind in the beginning. A good break got away and we didn’t go too hard up Portella Fammina Morta. But then it was really nervous in the lead into Mount Etna, lots of towns, cobblestones, and narrow streets – Italian style. The climb to Etna was hard but there was a stiff headwind in the final so a lot of moves were cancelled out. People’s legs were a bit too fresh, maybe, so we’re going to have to wait until later to see some big action, but I’m kind of starting to get a sense, going by facial expressions and body language, how the rivals are."

"I think most guys finished on the same time. Bob Jungels is a good rider, he’ll be happy to keep Pink maybe through the time trial, but once we hit that third week it’s a different ball game.”

Tomorrow's stage 5 on Wednesday May 10 from Pedara to Messina is 157 km. The first part at the foot of the Etna running across a number of towns with the usual road furniture. After the Alcantara Valley and Taormina, the course becomes flat along the coast and the final part features a circuit in Messina.

A bunch sprint is to be expected. Tune into tomorrow from 08:00 EST, 13:00 BST, 14:00 CEST for our live coverage.

2017 Giro d'Italia Stage 4 Top Ten Results

1 Jan Polanc (Slo) UAE Team Emirates 4:55:58 
2 Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin 0:00:19 
3 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:29 
4 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ   
5 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro Team   
6 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Sunweb   
7 Bob Jungels (Lux) Quick-Step Floors   
8 Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott   
9 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo   
10 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida

2017 Giro d'Italia General Classification after Stage 4

1 Bob Jungels (Lux) Quick-Step Floors 19:41:56 
2 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:06 
3 Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott 0:00:10 
4 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida   
5 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale   
6 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team   
7 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Sunweb   
8 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo   
9 Mikel Landa (Spa) Team Sky   
10 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ

VIDEO: Giro d'Italia Stage 4 Highlights

VIDEO: Jan Polanc solo's to stage 4 Victory

INCREDIBLE!

What an effort from @TeamUAEAbuDhabi rider Jan Polanc to win stage four ?? #Giro100 pic.twitter.com/ZOBOmkeLrx

— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) May 9, 2017