IRELAND’S DAN MARTIN IS just one second off the podium at the Volta a Catalunya after a solid performance on the race’s penultimate stage.
Martin, who started today’s action in fourth, just four seconds behind third, finished in the main bunch. But the Etixx-QuickStep man claimed a three-second bonus at the intermediate sprint earlier in the day, to close the gap on BMC’s Richie Porte to just one second.
Davide Cimolai claimed the stage win for Lampre-Merida in a thrilling bunch finish and Nairo Quintana (Movistar) finished without any problems to retain his lead in the general classification.
He has retained his seven-second lead over Tinkoff’s Alberto Contador, with Porte a further 10 seconds in arrears ahead of tomorrow’s final stage in the hills of Barcelona.
Elsewhere, Belgian rider Daan Myngheer has been hospitalised after suffering a heart attack on the Criterium International race in Corsica, organisers confirmed.
The 22-year-old Roubaix ML rider pulled up in difficulty some 30km from the line in the first stage of the race at Porto-Vecchio.
Myngheer got into an ambulance but suffered a heart attack and had to receive immediate emergency treatment, before being transferred by helicopter to hospital in Ajaccio.
The Belgian turned professional last year with the Verandas Willems team before joining Roubaix Métropole Lille this season.
– Additional reporting AFP
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
