After three pan flat stages we are transitioning into the mountains, but today is one last chance for the sprinters. KOM points are finally on offer so we expect to see a fight for those.
Boulahoite has been a consistent fixture in breakaways and he's here again joined by Walton and Maccagli.
Walton is going for a long effort to get those KOM points. The trio of riders have established themselves as the break of the day.
Walton secures the 6 KOM points. There are 6 more available 60 km from now when they tackle the same climb again. The gap to the peloton is at 3 minutes.
Maccagli takes the intermediate sprint in the valley ahead of Walton. Gap to the peloton is up to 5 minutes now. Russo and Sureda took the minor pts.
The 2nd KOM sprint is a tighter affair and it's Boulahoite who takes the 6 points. Which means we have a 3 way tie for the KOM classification. Meanwhile the peloton has reduced the breakaway's lead back down to 3 minutes.
Maccagli wins the other intermediate sprint as well ahead of Boulahoite. Hayakawa and Sureda mop up the remaining points.
With a number of teams contributing to the pacemaking the breakaway's day is over 26 km from the finish.
Final 5 km. This is how the sprint trains have positioned themselves:
Air New Zealand on the left for Barbari followed by Losch
Karthago for Marin
Simba Cement for Sureda followed by Darder Prieto and Chiarucci trying to infiltrate the IncaLine train
WindGuard for Russo
Fincantieri are on the right for Hayakawa in green
With 2.5 km to the finish Fincantieri and WindGuard are fighting for position on the far right side and a lot of other sprinters have moved behind them on that side. Kelly is on his own train in the middle now.
Fiorelli is the furthers forward leadout as we go under the flamme rouge.
This looks like a textbook leadout and Hayakawa is in prime position with just over 300 m to go. Russo is the closest competitor with Chiarucci also on Hayakawa's wheel.
Hayakawa finishes the job! Fincantieri's teamwork was perfect. Russo and Chiarucci round out the podium.
With his 2nd stage victory of the race Tomohiro Hayakawa goes into the GC lead for tomorrow only, but looks to be in great position to win the points classification. Boulahoite will wear the KOM tomorrow. Prieto is back in white.
Vuelta al Tachira - Stage 4 
