Higuita wins in a titan’s fight at the end of stage 4

By Cesar Augusto Penagos February 14, 2020

Colombian cyclist Sergio Higuita (EF) takes over leadership of the general classification of Tour Colombia UCI 2.1

Higuita passing the finish line ahead of Egan Bernal.
Higuita passing the finish line ahead of Egan Bernal. Photo: @SClaros12

After a hard but exciting fourth stage between Paipa and Santa Rosa de Viterbo in Boyacá, Sergio Higuita (EF) became the new leader of the overall classification. The final, a climb of five kilometres, was the stage for the titans who are taking part in Tour Colombia UCI 2.1.

INEOS set a hard pace at the beginning of that short climb in a clear movement to drop the leader Jonathan Caicedo who struggled to come back. But INEOS tried again with an amazing attack from Richard Carapaz, the current Giro de Italia Champion. It seemed clear that the victory was for him as he went alone and took a considerable distance from the pursuers.

Tour Colombia 2.1, what has happened.

Don’t count your chickens before they hatch, though. Titans are fighters by nature. Julian Alaphilippe (DQT) put in a brutal sprint to catch Carapaz without noticing that current Colombian national road champion Higuita was following his wheel.

It was a crazy final: Huiguita raised his hands to the sky first, followed by Bernal and Alaphilippe who crossed second and third respectively.

“I thought Carapaz was going to win the stage, though I went for a rider from Colombia Tierra de Atletas Team who was in between, Alaphilippe did such a long sprint that I thought I couldn’t catch him, but when he sit down on the saddle I continued my sprint and won the stage”, said Sergio Higuita to the press.

Breakaway of the day

It was another day for the adventurous, as seven cyclists were protagonists of the breakaway. Simon Pellaud (Androni), Etienne Van Empel (Vini Zabu), Eduardo Corte (Canels), Kristian Yustre (Illuminate), Omar Mendoza (Col Tierra de Atletas), Sebastián Castaño (Orgullo) and Lauro Moro (Brasil) were in front of the race until 13 kilometres left to the end.

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