Status quo in Beijing

Iván Velasco and Samuel Sánchez are still on the fringes of the top ten in Beijing after Friday's penultimate stage.

The duo went into the mainly flat 166km leg from Yanqing to Chang Ping ranked 11th and 14th overall respectively, and the sprinters' anticipated domination did little to change the general classification - except for Samu moving up to 12th, but still a minute off runaway winner Tony Martin's time. Katusha's Marco Haller, who's been due a win this season after a steady first campaign among the pros, bested a host of big-name speedsters to claim a surprising win, while all seven remaining riders in orange crossed the line inside the pack.

Results stage four (full results here):

• (1, Marco Haller (Katusha), 3:35:39)
• 21, Samuel Sánchez, s.t.
• 23, Iván Velasco, s.t.
• 33, Peio Bilbao, s.t.
• 53, Mikel Landa, s.t.
• 59, Mikel Nieve, s.t.
• 67, Gorka Verdugo, s.t.
• 93, Igor Antón, s.t.

General classification:

• (1, Tony Martín (Omega Pharma-Quick Step)
• 11, Iván Velasco, 1:00
• 12, Samuel Sánchez, s.t.
• 32, Igor Antón, 3:45
• 44, Gorka Verdugo, 5:38
• 55, Peio Bilbao, 10:18
• 59, Mikel Nieve, 11:40
• 113, Mikel Landa, 22:45

Photo: Fundación Ciclista Euskadi