Ineos Grenadiers’ Ben Turner sealed the team’s first win of the Vuelta a Espana and the biggest win of his career as he powered past some of the world’s best sprinters to victory on stage four.
The 26-year-old’s achievement was made more impressive by the fact that he was only a late call-up to the Vuelta squad after teammate Lucas Hamilton withdrew with illness the day before the race began.
And he took victory ahead of stage one winner Jasper Philipsen on the last of four stages outside Spain and the longest stage of the race, a 206km run from Susa in Italy to Voiron in France.
The Doncaster native stormed past Philipsen and the Belgian’s teammate Edward Planckaert, who was third on the stage, with his compatriot Ethan Vernon taking fourth on his 26th birthday.
“I don’t know what to say to be honest, it was a crazy week,” an emotional Turner said after the race. “I wanted to come to the Vuelta, and I still had some issues with my leg since the Giro, but the team really believed in me. I went to [the Renewi Tour] and then they said they needed me, so of course you say yes. I’d do anything to race these races.
“I was devastated on the first sprint when my chain came off, and I really believed in myself today. Thank you to the boys, such a good atmosphere at this race, and they’ve just been amazing, all of them. Kwiato [teammate Michal Kwiatowski], just unbelievable, in Poland and here, the other results I’ve had these last weeks wouldn’t be without him.
“I just had the best guys around me, they really trusted what I had to do. It came perfect, it was the perfect finish for me, I really believed what I could do on that finish. The last 100[m] felt so long!”
The in-form Turner – who last won on stage three of the Tour of Poland earlier this month – was visibly emotional at the finish line, with fellow Briton Tom Pidcock, who rides for the Q36.5 team, coming to congratulate him on his third pro victory.
Punchy sprinter Mads Pedersen, another favourite for today, was sixth.
There was little change in the overall standings on a clear-cut sprint stage, except at the very top, as David Gaudu – stage three’s winner – overtook Jonas Vingegaard in the overall standings.
The pair are tied on time but Gaudu took the red jersey – the first grand tour leader’s jersey of his career – on countback.
Stage four featured an unusual route design, with three classified climbs in quick succession – including the category-two Col de Montgenevre and Col du Lauteret – in the opening 80km before a lengthy descent and flat run-in to the fast, tricky finish in Voiron.
A few riders attempted to escape up the road but most accepted it was a doomed effort, with Bruno Armirail the last attacker caught with around 15km to go as the sprint teams marshalled for one of very few bunch sprints anticipated in this extremely mountainous race.
Stage five is the first to take place on Spanish soil, with a 24km team time trial starting and beginning in Figueres.
