It was a wet and demanding day on Stage 4 at 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco but for 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Alberto Contador it was simply another day ticked off in what is still very much a open battle for the ove🌳rall Basque title that concludes in two days time.

The tough finish in the Basque Hills to the town of Eibar saw last year's winner Samuel Sanchez lose more time but the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Saxo-Tinkoff leader ha🍒s, according to spor♎ts director Philippe Maudit, every bit the chance of taking his third title when the race concludes with a 24km time trial around Beasain on Sunday.

. "Alberto, however becomes stronger and stronger while other riders had a hard time in the cold and on the much tougher stage than yesterday's.

"Tomorrow's stage will 𓂃be very hard ⛎to control for any team and we're aiming to do a good result on the most demanding day of all here," he added.

Contador's most recent victories at the WorldTour race were in 2008 and 2009 but it appears the Spaniard, currently sitting in fourth overall, 10-seconds behind the race leader Sergio Henao (Sky) could be eyeing his next victory with the final 🌸race against the clock b🔯etter suited to the likes of Contador and third-placed Richie Porte (Sky) who sits on the same time as the Saxo Tinkoff rider.

The fast and te𓃲chnical final to the 151km stage was always going to be difficult in the trying conditions and while Contador would normally be suited to the nasty finish, he was not able to follow the final acceleration of Nairo Quintano (Movistar) who attacked shortly before the final right-hander juওst before the line.

"It was a very, very fast stage where everyone wanted to get into the break," Contador noted after Peter Velits (Omega Pharma – Quick-Step) made the day's breakaway and forced Sky and Movistar to chase the Slovakian foꦕr most of the day to ensure his 1:49 deficit at the start of the stage did not endanger Henao🦄's lead.

"It was a day dominated by bad weather with constant rain and slippery surface. At the end of the stage, I responded to the attacks from Henao and Richie Porte but couldn't respond to all of th♈e attacks and in the last 300 meters, Quintana created a little gap and took the stage win.

"The race is still wide open with the only news that some riders have been exclude😼d from the GC. My sensations have not been bad but it was really cold and you always suffer a little bit more in this kind of weather but that's the same for everyone. Tomorrow, we'll see what happens. It will be a tough day where anything can happen."