Astana's Cataldo wins mountain jersey at Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 4

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Riding solo for a long time, being the first to be on top of the Col du Mont Noir (HC) but getting caught just 300 meters before the finish: the story of Dario Cataldo's impressive ride at stage 4 of Critérium du Dauphiné. After his performance, he is the new wearer of the mountain jersey. Julian Alaphilippe won the stage, Pello Bilbao showed his legs by finishing not far behind at an eleventh place, Kazinform has learnt from the club's official website. 

"I didn't planned to go in the break today, but at one point when I was working on the front I looked behind me and we already created a gap with a small group. From that moment I thought, let's go for it. We worked well together, but arriving at the Col du Mont Noir we were losing time and I decided to attack. When I passed the rider who attacked just before me I thought we could go to the top together, but when I arrived on top I was on my own.

So, I decided to work as hard as possible for a stage victory. I was feeling really good, but sometimes the result also depends on what happens behind you in the peloton. What happened there was not in my favour, as they pulled really hard. At the end I'm disappointed I got caught just before the finish, but I know I did all I could today. At the end, of course, I'm happy with my mountain jersey and we'll see if I can defend it in the next days," said Dario Cataldo.

The 181-kilometer-long stage from Chazey-sur-Ain to Lans-en-Vercors was the first mountain stage of this year's Critérium du Dauphiné. After riding 52 kilometers in the first hour, finally a breakaway was created of eight man, including Dario Cataldo. Arriving at the Col du Mount Noir, Cataldo attacked and rode solo until 300 meter before the finish. He finished twelfth, just behind Pello Bilbao who took eleventh. Eventually, because of taking the points at the HC climb today, he got the mountain jersey as the new KOM.

Another mountain stage coming up tomorrow, as the peloton will ride from Grenoble to Valmorel. During the 130 kilometers, they'll face two climbs of the second category in the first 20 kilometers, to finish at the HC climb to Valmorel.