Gatis Smukulis took 3rd in the fourth stage of the UCI WorldTour race Tour de Pologne. Team Katusha’s rider was a member of the breakaway of three riders, which went away in the first kilometers of the 220km course and was able to hold its advantage to the main group until the finish line.

Finally, the winner of the stage was Maciej Bodnar from Tinkoff-Saxo. Kamil Zieliński from Poland was second while Gatis Smukulis completed the daily podium with third place.

"In the final, I really was empty. I did all I could, but it was impossible for me to respond to the sprint of my rivals on the finish. The stage was very hard – we spent over 200km in front. In general, I felt quite good today, I was motivated to go in the breakaway and I succeeded. We organized a good job inside our group and built a good advantage. However, to hold the gap to the finish we had to go full gas. I wanted to win the stage, but anyway I am satisfied with a podium place too. I am happy we managed to stay in front until the end and that the peloton did not catch us. I congratulate Maciej Bodnar with the victory; he was the strongest today," said Gatis Smukulis.

The fourth stage of the race started in Jaworzno and ended after 220 km and 3 climbs in Novy Sacz. The group of Smukulis, Bodnar and Zieliński broke clear in the first few km of racing, quickly taking a very good advanatge of 11 minutes. Later, the peloton started to chase the break and on the top of the last climb, the group had only 3.30. However, it was enough to decide the stage victory. The peloton arrived 20 seconds behind the stage winner.

Kamil Zieliński became the new overall leader of the Tour de Pologne. Sven Erik Bystrøm is 16th, 28 seconds behind the leader.

Tomorrow it is the 5th stage of the race – the peloton will cover 223km and 8 climbs on the way from Novy Sacz to Zakopane.