Cycling:Irish rider Nicolas Roche slipped back to fifth position in the Tour of Catalunya after finishing in 29th position in today's fourth stage.
Roche was fourth at the start of the 209km grind across central Catalunya, but came home 34 seconds behind German Jens Voight in a bunch sprint. He is now one minute and 20 seconds off Spanish race leader Joaquim Rodriguez.
Voight outpowered fellow breakaway rider Rein Taaramae of Estonia in a dramatic uphill sprint duel to take his first victory since a serious accident in last year's Tour de France.
The German badly fractured his cheekbone and was severely concussed in the 80kmh accident on an Alpine descent, later saying he believed his helmet had saved his life.
“I couldn't do anything to raise my blood pressure, not even go up two steps at a time on a staircase,” the 38-year-old Saxo Bank rider said. “The first bike ride I could do was a 10-minute circuit around a carpark.”
Tour of Catalunya
Fourth stage from Oliana to Asco, Spain
1 Jens Voigt (Germany/Saxo Bank) 4hrs 43mins 28secs
2 Rein Taaramae (Estonia/Cofidis) same time
3 Paul Voss (Germany/Milram) at 34 seconds
4 Michel Kreder (Netherlands/Garmin) same time
5 David Loosli (Switzerland/Lampre) st
6 Jeremy Roy (France/Francaise des Jeux) st
7 Josep Jufre (Spain/Astana) st
8 Daniel Moreno (Spain/Omega Pharma - Lotto) st
9 Robert Kiserlovski (Croatia/Liquigas) st
10 Igor Anton (Spain/Euskaltel) st
11 Manuele Mori (Italy/Lampre) st
12 Oscar Pereiro (Spain/Astana) st
13 Samuel Dumoulin (France/Cofidis) st
14 Manuel Vazquez (Spain/Andalucia) st
15 Juan Manuel Garate (Spain/Rabobank) st
16 Kristjan Koren (Slovenia/Liquigas) st
17 Jan Bakelants (Belgium/Omega Pharma - Lotto) st
18 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain/Katusha) st
19 Eros Capecchi (Italy/Footon) st
20 Dario Cataldo (Italy/Quick-Step) st
21 Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Garmin) st
22 Paolo Tiralongo (Italy/Astana) st
23 Sebastien Minard (France/Cofidis) st
24 Iban Velasco (Spain/Euskaltel) st
25 Jose Alberto Benitez (Spain/Footon) st
26 Pieter Weening (Netherlands/Rabobank) st
27 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spain/Caisse d'Epargne) st
28 Sandy Casar (France/Francaise des Jeux) st
29.
Nicolas Roche(Ireland/AG2R) st
30 Janez Brajkovic (Slovenia/RadioShack)
Overall standings
1 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain/Katusha) 13 hrs 48 mins 14secs
2 Xavier Tondo (Spain/Cervelo) at 10 secs
3 Rein Taaramae (Estonia/Cofidis) at 46"
4 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spain/Caisse d'Epargne) at 48"
5
Nicolas Roche(Ireland/AG2R) at 1:20"
6 Kristjan Koren (Slovenia/Liquigas) st
7 Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Garmin) st
8 Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic/Liquigas) at 1:22"
9 Michel Kreder (Netherlands/Garmin) at 1:24"
10 Janez Brajkovic (Slovenia/RadioShack) at 1:25"