Already 2nd the day before, Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates XRG) once again reached the podium during the 4th stage of the Santos Tour Down Under. This time no breakaway to prevent him from playing for victory, but the Ecuadorian found himself locked in during the final sprint and could not hide his annoyance by crossing the line in 3rd position behind Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) and Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious). However, he will be able to be satisfied with the four seconds of bonuses won, which ideally places him before the stage of Willunga Hill which promises to be decisive, like every year.
Video – The summary of this 4th stage of the Santos Tour Down Under
Frustrated but satisfied
At the end of the stage, the rider UAE Team Emirates XRG returned to today’s race: “It was special today, all the guys were working hard and the team did a good job. We wanted to go hard on the last climb and pull until the end to have a chance for victory or bonus seconds. In the end we weren’t lucky enough to win the stage, but it’s positive that we took the bonus seconds.”
No complaints
While given the annoyance of its rider at the finish, one could think that the team UAE Team Emirates XRG would file a complaint for irregular sprint, its sports director Fabio Baldato indicated that this will not be the case: “With the finish turning right, it is normal that the rider in front tried to take the shorter line. I spoke to the jury and the president two or three times, and ultimately I trust them. These are experts that I know well and there is no question of us seeking to challenge this decision.“
