IRELAND’S SAM BENNETT has been denied back-to-back wins on the Vuelta a España after a photo finish on stage four.
The Carrick-on-Suir man produced a brilliant late charge, but lost out to Dutch sprinter Fabio Jakobsen by the narrowest of margins in El Puig on the Costa Blanca.
Nicolas Roche once again maintained his position as the overall race leader, and will wear the red jersey for a third day tomorrow with a two-second lead over Nairo Quintana. The Sunweb man finished comfortably in the bunch today.
Meanwhile, it was an agonising loss for Bennett, who was pipped on the line by the width of a bicycle tyre, meaning he had to settle for second place after yesterday’s thrilling victory.
Sprint finishes don't get any closer than that! Watch as @deceuninck_qst's @FabioJakobsen beats @BORAhansgrohe's @Sammmy_Be on #LaVuelta19 stage four by the finest of margins 🎥 pic.twitter.com/IT4MtdEtBU
— Velon CC (@VelonCC) August 27, 2019
There, the Bora-Hansgrohe rider recorded his first Vuelta stage win, adding to the three stage victories he claimed on the BinckBank Tour in Belgium earlier this month.
It was also the 28-year-old national champion’s 12th win of the season at his first Grand Tour of the year.
But today, it was 22-year-old Dutch champion Jakobsen who took his first Grand Tour stage victory, with Sunweb’s Max Walscheid finishing third.
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