As expected, Colombia-Coldeportes did not hide in the first Vuelta a Burgos uphill finish, coming at the end of the 4th stage, Belorado – Pineda de la Sierra (161 km). Showing up in first place was Rodolfo Torres, who tried to accelerate twice inside the last 2000 metres, but was always brought back by Astana, the team of former leader Luis Leon Sanchez, as well as of the new leader, Colombian Miguel Angel Lopez, the winner of today’s stage.

The acceleration from the Kazakh team in the final metres splintered the selected 15-man group at the front, and 2014 Tour de l’Avenir winner managed to beat to the finish Daniel Moreno (Katusha) and Pierre-Roger Latour (Ag2r-La Mondiale). After his double attempt in the space of a few hundreths metres, Torres lost a little ground in the finale, finishing 11th, 21 seconds behind the winner, while moving up to 12th in the overall, 1.19 adrift. Three more Escarabajos finished among the top 22: Miguel Angel Rubiano (16th), Carlos Julian Quintero (20th) and Edward Diaz (22th). Fabio Duarte once again held on the best climber’s jersey, with only one stage to go.

“Today it was our plan to be in the breakaway but the escape of Salas (Burgos BH), Insausti (Murias Taldea), Colli (Nippo-Vini Fantini), Bideau (Bretagne-Séché) and Jáuregui (AG2R La Mondiale) got clear immediately, and with Astana keeping it controlled it was still a good situation for us," Sports Director Oscar Pellicioli told. "On the last climb, Rodolfo tried to attack, but he wasn’t left any space. Anyway, I think tomorrow’s final climb is much more suited to him than today’s, so we will be determined to go for a strong result.”

The queen stage of the Vuelta a Burgos expects the riders on August 8th, from Comunera de la Revenga to Lagunas de Neila (170 km), with no less than 7 categorized climbs and the classic uphill finish that will once again say the last word on the Spanish race’s outcome.