08.31 - Vuelta a España: Stage 4

A race within a race - everyone is trying to get into an escape today..!

Success - four riders have got away, Roels, Bonnafond, Cataldo and Carrasco...

VUELTAROELSESCAPE

Sky riders Kjell Carlstrom and Ian Stannard are still fighting illness on the first climb of the day...

VUELTASKYILL

A depleted version of Simon Gerrans is pedalling better today - he's lost pounds overnight!

VUELTAGERRANSSKY

Cloud cover means cooler temperatures as the peloton climbs the Alto de Zafarraya...

VUELTASCENERYPELOTON

Omega-Lotto are chasing harder now, the gap to the leaders is seven minutes...

VUELTAlottoPELOTON

Cataldon leads the way towards yet another hill in Andalucia...

The peloton has hesitated with the gap down to five minutes at the halfway mark...

VUELTASCENERYPELOTON

Carrasco leads on a climb, their lead has gone up just a little...

VUELTACARRASCOESCAPE

Omega-Lotto are pushing the pace up again, the gap will keep shrinking now...

VUELTALOTTOPELOTON

Brotherly love - Andy has just handed a Coke to Frank, everyone is starting to feel the stifling heat now...

VUELTASCHLECK

Thor Hushovd collects his and his teamates water bottles...

VUELTAHUSHOVDWATER

Even though he's sick, Stannard has managed to stay in contact until now, quite a feat..!

VUELTASTANNARDSKY

Katusha have started to ride at the front now, the pace goes even higher..!

VUELTAKATUSHAPELOTON

Bonnafond and Cataldo are alone in the front, but only by 20-seconds as the last but one climb begins...

VUELTABONNAFONDlcataldo

Sastre has been dropped - Katusha goes even faster to see if they can also out-pace Philippe Gilbert...

VUELTAKATUSHAkarpets

Gilbert is at the back of the leaders' group, looking hot, but safe...

VUELTAGILBERT

Tom Danielson is there too, just ahead of Schleck and Gilbert...

VUELTADANIELSON

Igor Anton has won stage four after countering a move by Joachin Rodriguez on the steep finish-climb...

VUELTAANTON

It hurts - Nicholas Roche digs deep to take 8th place at 12-seconds, Gilbert keeps his race-lead after finishing 6th...

VUELTAROCHE