MOLINA DE ARAGÓN, Spain — Fabio Jakobsen took the lead in the final stretch of the closing sprint to win the fourth stage of the Spanish Vuelta on Tuesday, with Rein Taaramae holding on at the top of the overall standings despite crashing with a couple of kilometers (miles) to go.
Jakobsen, who recovered from a brutal crash last year in Poland, passed Arnaud Demare only a few meters (feet) from the finish line at the end of the 163.9-kilometer (101.8-mile) flat stage into Molina de Aragón.
Taaramae crashed with about two kilometers (1.2 miles) to go as the peloton went around a wide turn. He appeared to hurt his shoulder but was able to get up quickly and rejoin the bunch, maintaining a 25-second overall lead over Kenny Elissonde.
Two-time Vuelta champion Primoz Roglic was third overall, 30 seconds off the lead. Roglic won the first stage but lost the lead when Taaramae made a dominant final climb in the race’s first mountain stage on Monday.
Riders will face another flat stage that should favor the sprinters again on Wednesday, a 184.4-kilometer (114.6-miles) route that will finish in Albacete in southeastern Spain.
This year’s three-week Grand Tour race will end in Santiago Compostela instead of Madrid.
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