Team Polti Kometa, Tour of Taiwan 4th stage best team with two top-10 riders

Good results continue to come out of Taiwan, with De Cassan and Garosio taking a double top-10 in the fourth stage. In addition to the best team award, De Cassan now wears the regularity jersey with the final day to go.

The first protagonist was David Martin, present in the breakaway of the stage that allowed the rest of his team-mates to save energy for the final part. A breakaway of 5 riders rode with an advantage until the decisive part of the stage.

A demanding final stage, with the arrival at Sun Moon Lake that selected a leading group of just 20 riders and in which Team Polti Kometa was able to filter its two strongest riders. The climb to Shuan Zhang Temple proved decisive, and a brave attack by Italian Garosio in the final metres, caught almost at the finish line, provided excitement until the very last moment.

At the finish line, De Cassan was sixth and has enough points to wear the best sprinter jersey. Andrea Garosio finished seventh while Team Polti Kometa was the best team of the stage. A good balance even with the final chance tomorrow for a sprint finish, where both riders are also in the top-10 of the general classification.

Davide De Cassan: “Today turned out to be the hardest stage, the finish was nervous and both Garosio and I tried to move the race to anticipate the reduced sprint but in the end we were 20 riders fighting for the victory. We still have the final day to try”.

Biagio Conte, sports director: “Garosio deserved more with that late attack, neutralised 150 metres from the finish. It’s a pity because it would have been the perfect opportunity to take the overall classification. We must also value David Martín, who was attentive in the initial part in the breakaway; Fran Muñoz, who stayed close to the leading group; and also Peñalver, who I think is ready to shine tomorrow in the last stage”.