The German remained our best placed rider at the Italian race.
On Saturday, the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali peloton started the 159.6km stage four from Ponte di Piave – not far from the place where an 18-year-old Ernest Hemingway was wounded during the Great War – and travelled to Valdobbiadene, where another uphill finish awaited.
It was a pretty straightforward stage, without major difficulties and just a couple of short climbs where the bunch had no problems when it came to controlling the gap of the escapees and bringing them back just before cresting the penultimate hill. Despite a crash in the closing kilometers, it was a bunch sprint at the end, won by Axel Laurance (Ineos Grenadiers). Max Schachmann was again the first Soudal Quick-Step rider to cross the line and jumped six places on the overall standings, where he now sits just ten seconds from the podium.
One more stage separates the riders from the conclusion of this 41st edition. The peloton will get to spend the day in Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, where a double ascent of Monte Stella, a climb which features double-digit gradients, is likely to deliver major changes to the general classification.
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