It was almost the perfect script: Ethan Vernon, on his 25th birthday, put himself in position to win stage 4 of La Vuelta a España in Voiron, France.
Having been helped through the final stage of the race’s visit away from its heartland, which today started in Susa, Italy, and then into France via the Alps, Vernon sprinted to fourth place in the shadows of the town’s stunning 19th-century Basilica of Saint Bruno.
“Yeah, it was frustrating,” he says. “The guys did a good job all day riding, and then a few things went wrong in the final, but yeah, it’s racing.”
The British rider started this year’s race by finishing second in Saturday’s opening stage.
Following a technical and narrow approach to the finish line, Vernon positioned himself in the wheel of Jasper Philipsen, but was soon blocked in by the barriers on his left side. Compatriot Ben Turner (IGD) avoided such luck, sprinted to Philipsen’s right, and took the victory. Nonetheless, fourth place marked Vernon’s 12th top-10 finish in road races this season.
He adds: “It makes it more annoying knowing I had the legs. I know I’m fast enough to win, and then when you don’t, it’s frustrating.
“It’s not like that’s the best you can do. But there are a few more opportunities left, so we’ll keep trying for those.”