Spaniard Juan Pedro Lopez took the overall lead of the Giro d’Italia on Tuesday as Lennard Kamna won stage 4 after a 14 mile climb up Mt. Etna in Sicily. The pair had been part of a long-range breakaway. The overall favorites Richard Carapaz and Simon Yates finished 2:37 adrift.

After a three-day stay in Hungary, the Giro peloton had a rude awakening on its arrival in Italy as a 14 rider escape group tore away early on the 105 mile ride from Avola to Etna.

Among the potential contenders for the overall title, the 2017 Giro winner Tom Dumoulin dropped time on the final climb as British outfit Ineos set a blistering pace up the 6200 foot summit. Another rider who failed to produce was Italian veteran double Giro winner Vincenzo Nibali, who was dropped in the final kilometres. Overnight leader Mathieu van der Poel made no effort to defend his lead on the climb, but had earlier attempted a long range solo escape.

Astana’s Colombian climber Miguel Angel Lopez withdrew early in the stage on a day marked by a motorbike crash that brought a clutch of riders tumbling to the tarmac.

Wednesday’s stage 5 is also in Sicily, running from Catania to Messina with a mountain to climb early on, making another escape a strong possibility.

GIRO D’ITALIA 2022 STAGE 4 RESULTS

1	Lennard KAMNA	BORA – hansgrohe	4:32:11
2	Juan Pedro LÓPEZ	Trek – Segafredo	0:00
3	Rein TAARAMAE	Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux	0:34
4	Sylvain MONIQUET	Lotto Soudal	2:12
5	Mauri VANSEVENANT	Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team	2:12
6	Gijs LEEMREIZE	Jumbo-Visma	2:31
7	Richard CARAPAZ	INEOS Grenadiers	2:37
8	Romain BARDET	Team DSM	2:37
9	Pello BILBAO	Bahrain – Victorious	2:37
10	Joao ALMEIDA	UAE Team Emirates	2:37

GIRO D’ITALIA 2022 STANDINGS

1	Juan Pedro LOPEZ	Trek – Segafredo	14:17:07
2	Lennard KAMNA	BORA – hansgrohe	0:39
3	Rein TAARAMAE	Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux	0:58
4	Simon YATES	Team BikeExchange – Jayco	1:42
5	Mauri VANSEVENANT	Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team	1:47
6	Wilco KELDERMAN	BORA – hansgrohe	1:55
7	Pello BILBAO	Bahrain – Victorious	2:00
8	Joao ALMEIDA	UAE Team Emirates	2:00
9	Richie PORTE	INEOS Grenadiers	2:04
10	Romain BARDET	Team DSM	2:06

 

RBA/AFP Photos: Sprint Cycling Agency