Quick-Step Floor's Max Richeze takes victory on Stage 4

Max Richeze has taken the victory at the fourth stage of the Vuelta a San Juan. The Quick-Step Floors rider crossed the finish line ahead of Giacomo Nizzolo and Matteo Pelucchi

The fourth stage of the Argentinean race was 182.8 kilometres long between San Jose de Jachal and Villa San Agustin. The stage started with an escape of six riders: Alex Cano (Coldeportes Zenu Sello Rojo), Daniel Eaton (UnitedHealthCare), Daniel Juarez (Asociacion Civil Mardan), Pablo Alarcon (Canel's-Specialized), Adrian Richeze (Virgen de Fatima) and Gerardo Tivani (Municipalidad de Pocito) created a gap of almost four minutes with the peloton.

Quick-Step Floors and Bora-hansgrohe took control of the pace and reduced the gap with the breakaway, catching it with more than 30 kilometres to go. Soon after there was a crash that involved riders like Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors), Ricardo Escuela (Virgen de Fatima) and Ruben Ramos.

With 20 kilometres to go, the race was neutralised because of a river flood with the action resuming after the peloton had passed the tricky point. With all the bunch together, the stage was sentenced to a final sprint.

With the absence of Gaviria, who had to retire because of the crash, Max Richeze became the main man of Quick-Step Floors and the team positioned him perfectly to take the victory. Trek-Segafredo's Giacomo Nizzolo and Bora-hansgrohe's Matteo Pelucchi were second and third on the stage.

The General Classification standing remains the same with Filippo Ganna (UAE Team Emirates) leading, followed by Rafal Majka (Bora-hansgrohe) and Oscar Sevilla (Medellin-Inder).

After four flat days, the race turns to the big mountains with a course of 162 km up to the top Alto Colorado, 2,565 m above sea level on Stage 5.

VIDEO: 2018 Vuelta a San Juan Stage 4 Final Kilometres

2018 Vuelta a San Juan Stage 4 Results Top 10

1 Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Quick-Step Floors 4:31:48 
2 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek-Segafredo   
3 Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe   
4 Mihkel Räim (Est) Israel-Cycling Academy   
5 Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Bahrain-Merida   
6 Edwin Alcibiades Avila (Col) Israel-Cycling Academy   
7 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Lotto Soudal   
8 Mauro Richeze (Arg) A.C.A. Virgen De Fatima   
9 Alvaro Hodeg (Col) Quick-Step Floors   
10 Travis McCabe (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling

2018 Vuelta a San Juan GC after Stage 4

1 Filippo Ganna (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 11:30:25 
2 Rafal Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:05 
3 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Medellin 0:00:11 
4 Omar Mendoza (Col) Medellin 0:00:19 
5 Jhonatan Narvaez (Ecu) Quick-Step Floors 0:00:43 
6 Kanstantsin Suitsou (Blr) Bahrain-Merida   
7 Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec 0:00:45 
8 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:00:50 
9 Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Quick-Step Floors   
10 Rodolfo Torres (Col) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec