Ivo Oliveira 5th as Costa goes on the hunt at Saudi Tour

It was the two Portuguese riders who animated stage 5 of the Saudi Tour (2.1) as Ivo Oliveira claimed his first result on the road after a successful winter competing on the track. Rui Costa showed himself to be the man-in-form by going on the attack before being clawed back with just 3km to go.

Italian Valerio Conti put in a superb display of teamwork to work for Costa despite being caught up in two crashes within the final 25km.

With a block headwind on the finishing straight it was Nacer Bouhanni (Arkea Samsic) who proved the quickest with Oliveira sprinted in the saddle to a solid 5th place.

Costa now sits in third place overall heading into the final stage from Princess Nourah University to Al Masnak (144k) which will suit the sprinters though may see the wind play a part.

Rui Costa: “Today was the most complicated day of the race and also the hardest. The tactic was to break the group and to try and make it as hard as possible on the climbs. When we caught the break we were lacking a few more strong guys up front and the group behind was motoring along. We’re happy with the results this week, the guys have done fantastic work to support me. Tomorrow looks like a sprint finish so it looks like the GC is decided and I’m pleased with my podium. I’m content with my condition heading into my next race which will be Volta Algarve.”

Marco Marzano DS : “Rui Costa showed today and during this whole week of the Saudi Tour that he is in excellent condition physically and that he is hungry for good results. Today he made a big move to try and win the overall of the Saudi Tour. His teammates left everything on the road to work for him and in the end it just came up short. Ivo worked all day and still had legs for the sprint which is a testament to his form also.”
Stage 4 results

1.Nacer Bouhanni (Arkea Samsic) 3h21:55
2. Niccolò Bonifazio (Direct Energie) +0’’
3. Yevginiy Gidich (Astana) +0’’
5. Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates) +0’’

General Classification after stage 4

1. Nacer Bouhanni (Arkea Samsic) 14h34:39
2. Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Mclaren) +2’’
3. Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates) +5’’

Top 10 for Kristoff as Pogačar moves to second at Vuelta Valenciana

Alexander Kristoff found himself boxed in at the finish and had to settle for 10th on the 3rd stage of Vuelta Valenciana (2.1) stage behind winner Dylan Groenewegen (Jumbo Visma). Yesterday’s winner Pogačar finished safely in the bunch to assure he keeps in the hunt for the GC heading into tomorrow’s uphill finish in Altea.

Pogačar now holds 2nd place overall at the same time as race leader Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott) and wears the white jersey as leader of the young riders classification.

Pogačar: “It was a calm day in the bunch without much stress and the team worked well to keep me out of the wind.There were no bonus seconds yesterday so Haig took the jersey today by placings. Tomorrow we will fight to take it back on the last climb to Altea and hopefully put some time into the others.”

Stage 3 Results
1.Dylan Groenewegen (Jumbo Visma) 4h54’16’’
2.Fabio Jakobsen (Deceuninck Quick Step) +0’’
3.Matej Mahorič (Bahrain-McLaren) +0’’
10.Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates) +0”

General Classification after Stage 3
1.Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott) 13h16’25’’
2.Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) +0”
3.Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) +0’’