CIESZYN, Poland – Italy’s Mirco Lorenzetto, representing the Lampre team, won the fourth stage of the Tour of Poland, a 177.9km ride from, Tychy to Cieszyn on Wednesday.

Lorenzetto, who timed 4hr 7min 36sec, took over the race leader’s yellow jersey from Australian Allan Davis.

Prevailing in a sprint Lorenzetto was followed home in the same time by Slovenia’s Grega Bole and fellow Italian Alessandro Ballan, winner of last year’s renewal.

Lorenzetto has a seven seconds cushion over Bole in the overall standings heading into Thursday’s fifth stage, a 149km run from Jastrzebie Zdroj and Ustron.

“This was an ideal stage for me,” the winner said.

“I’m in good shape after the Tour de France (he finished 166th overall over four hours behind winner Alberto Contador), and I’ll try to keep hold of the yellow jersey as long as possible, but it won’t be easy.”

The day’s biggest losers were Davis, who trailed in half a minute behind the leading group, and Swiss competitor Michael Schaier, who crashed and was taken to hospital with a broken shoulderblade.

Article:AFP

Stage:
1. Mirco Lorenzetto (ITA/Lampre) 4hr 07min 36sec, 2. Grega Bole (SLO) same time, 3. Alessandro Ballan (ITA) s.t., 4. Simon Geschke (GER) s.t., 5. Sergei Lagoutine (UZB) s.t.

Overall:
1. Mirco Lorenzetto (ITA/Lampre) 17hr 00min 51sec, 2. Grega Bole (SLO) at 7sec, 3. Alessandro Ballan (ITA) 8, 4. Kenny de Haes (BEL) 10, 5. Simon Geschke (GER) 10.