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Calmejane claims stage win as Atapuma leads Vuelta

Lilian Calmejane crosses the line in San Andres de Teixido
Lilian Calmejane crosses the line in San Andres de Teixido

France's Lilian Calmejane took his maiden professional stage victory while Darwin Atapuma claimed the red jersey on stage four of the Vuelta a Espana.

Direct Energie's Calmejane made a solo attack from the breakaway with eight kilometres remaining of the 163.5km route from Betanzos to San Andres de Teixido in Galicia.

The 23-year-old finished 15 seconds clear of Atapuma (BMC Racing) and Benjamin King (Cannondale-Drapac) to claim victory, with the Colombian Atapuma doing enough to take possession of the leader's jersey from Movistar's Ruben Fernandez.

Fernandez lost touch with the grand classification contenders on the steep final climb, the Mirador Vixia de Herbeira, as Chris Froome (Team Sky), Esteban Chaves (Orica-Bikeexchange) and Movistar duo Alejandro Valverde and Nairo Quintana finished together two minutes and six seconds back.

That leaves Valverde in second of the GC standings, 29 seconds back, with Froome four seconds further behind and Chaves and Quintana 39 seconds adrift of the leader.

Fernandez finished 49 seconds behind the GC group and lies one minute 11 seconds behind Atapuma.

Calmejane told Eurosport: "It's a very great feeling. To win a stage so soon in the Vuelta is just awesome.

"Today in my head was just 'the breakaway, the breakaway' and to have no regrets. I saw (Thomas) De Gent was very strong in the group so I attacked. When I was alone, first in the race, I gave everything and it's wonderful.

"The goal was to win a stage so now everything from here is a bonus."

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