California: Van Garderen wins stage 4 TT, seizes yellow jersey

He’s not the defending champion, but the last time Tejay van Garderen raced the Amgen Tour of California, he won, and after going fastest in Wednesday’s stage 4 time trial, he’s back in the yellow jersey.

Van Garderen, winner of the 2013 Tour of California clocked a time of 40:47 on the 34.7km run from San Jose to Morgan Hill. He won the day ahead of his BMC teammate Patrick Bevin, who was second, seven seconds slower.

“Today was special motivation. I had my girls here, I have good memories here from five years ago,” said van Garderen, referring to his family who were at the race. “I didn’t expect it to go quite so well. I had it in the back of my mind on Gibraltar that if I kept it within a minute, I could take it back today.”

Tao Geoghegan Hart rounded out the day’s podium in third, 32 seconds down, despite working tirelessly for his Team Sky leader Egan Bernal on Monday’s Gibraltar stage.

The Colombian Bernal, on the other hand, tumbled out of the overall lead with an 18th-place finish. He ceded 1:23 to van Garderen and now sits 23 seconds behind on GC in second place.

EF Education First-Drapac’s Daniel Martinez — another Colombian — is third overall, 37 seconds behind after a solid 10th-place finish in the time trial.

Van Garderen should have no trouble defending his lead in Thursday’s stage 5, a flat ride from Stockton to Elk Grove over 176.5km.

The only obvious opportunity remaining for Bernal — or another rider — to challenge for the overall is Friday, a stage that climbs high up to Lake Tahoe.

“Tomorrow and Sacramento [Saturday] should be sprint days,” van Garderen added. “We really just need to worry about that stage into Tahoe. We have a really strong team and motivation is high.”

Stage 4 results

• 1. Tejay Van Garderen, BMC RACING TEAM, in 40:47.33
• 2. Patrick Bevin, BMC RACING TEAM, at :07
• 3. Tao Geoghegan Hart, TEAM SKY, at :32
• 4. G Lawson Craddock, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at :46
• 5. Filippo Ganna, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at :49
• 6. Mikkel Bjerg, HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at :53
• 7. Jack Bauer, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at :55
• 8. Neilson Powless, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :56
• 9. Maciej Bodnar, BORA – HANSGROHE, at :57
• 10. Daniel Felipe Martinez Poveda, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at :57
• 11. Nils Politt, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at :59
• 12. Brent Bookwalter, BMC RACING TEAM, at :59
• 13. Serghei Tvetcov, UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at 01:00
• 14. Taylor Phinney, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 01:02
• 15. Michael Hepburn, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 01:15
• 16. Pavel Sivakov, TEAM SKY, at 01:16
• 17. Nikias Arndt, TEAM SUNWEB, at 01:19
• 18. Egan Arley Bernal Gomez, TEAM SKY, at 01:23
• 19. William Barta, HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at 01:28
• 20. Joseph Rosskopf, BMC RACING TEAM, at 01:29
• 21. Evan Huffman, RALLY CYCLING, at 01:34
• 22. Adam Yates, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 01:36
• 23. Michael SchÄr, BMC RACING TEAM, at 01:41
• 24. Brandon Mcnulty, RALLY CYCLING, at 01:43
• 25. Silvan Dillier, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 01:49
• 26. Gavin Mannion, UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at 01:49
• 27. Reto Hollenstein, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 01:56
• 28. Laurens De Plus, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 01:59
• 29. Sean Bennett, HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at 02:01
• 30. Rafal Majka, BORA – HANSGROHE, at 02:04
• 31. Toms Skujins, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 02:05
• 32. Kasper Asgreen, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 02:07
• 33. Simon Clarke, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 02:12
• 34. Robert Britton, RALLY CYCLING, at 02:13
• 35. Ian Boswell, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 02:26
• 36. Kristijan Đurasek, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 02:35
• 37. Nathan Van Hooydonck, BMC RACING TEAM, at 02:38
• 38. Ben Gastauer, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 02:39
• 39. Mathias Frank, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 02:46
• 40. Ian Garrison, HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at 02:54
• 41. Lukasz Wisniowski, TEAM SKY, at 02:55
• 42. Ivo Oliveira, HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at 03:01
• 43. Alvaro Jose Hodeg Chagui, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 03:01
• 44. Alex Howes, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 03:04
• 45. Robin Carpenter, RALLY CYCLING, at 03:08
• 46. Daniel Oss, BORA – HANSGROHE, at 03:12
• 47. Julien Vermote, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 03:17
• 48. Jai Hindley, TEAM SUNWEB, at 03:17
• 49. Peter Stetina, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 03:17
• 50. Matteo Fabbro, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 03:18
• 51. Luke Rowe, TEAM SKY, at 03:19
• 52. Iljo Keisse, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 03:22
• 53. Rúben Guerreiro, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 03:24
• 54. Jasper Stuyven, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 03:28
• 55. Jasper Philipsen, HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at 03:29
• 56. Taylor (t.j.) Eisenhart, HOLOWESKO | CITADEL P/B ARAPAHOE RESOURCES, at 03:31
• 57. Stijn Vandenbergh, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 03:32
• 58. Cyril Gautier, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 03:32
• 59. Nicola Conci, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 03:32
• 60. Peter Sagan, BORA – HANSGROHE, at 03:39
• 61. Benoit Cosnefroy, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 03:39
• 62. Danilo Wyss, BMC RACING TEAM, at 03:40
• 63. Sebastian Henao Gomez, TEAM SKY, at 03:44
• 64. Antwan Tolhoek, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 03:48
• 65. Maarten Wynants, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 03:52
• 66. Pawel Poljanski, BORA – HANSGROHE, at 03:54
• 67. Fernando Gaviria Rendon, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 03:54
• 68. Edward Ravasi, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 03:56
• 69. Jhonnatan Narvaez, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 04:06
• 70. Mathew Hayman, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 04:11
• 71. Ruben Companioni, HOLOWESKO | CITADEL P/B ARAPAHOE RESOURCES, at 04:14
• 72. Mark Cavendish, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 04:16
• 73. Andrei Krasilnikau, HOLOWESKO | CITADEL P/B ARAPAHOE RESOURCES, at 04:17
• 74. Tom-Jelte Slagter, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 04:17
• 75. Maximilian Richard Walscheid, TEAM SUNWEB, at 04:23
• 76. Sven Erik BystrØm, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 04:23
• 77. Rick Zabel, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 04:24
• 78. Anass Ait El Abdia, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 04:26
• 79. Gregory Rast, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 04:37
• 80. Floris De Tier, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 04:42
• 81. Michael Rice, HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at 04:47
• 82. Daniel Mclay, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 04:51
• 83. Tanner Putt, UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at 05:02
• 84. Maximiliano Ariel Richeze, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 05:08
• 85. Danny Pate, RALLY CYCLING, at 05:10
• 86. Roger Kluge, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 05:17
• 87. Tyler Magner, RALLY CYCLING, at 05:18
• 88. Scott Davies, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 05:19
• 89. Jay Robert Thomson, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 05:20
• 90. Kiel Reijnen, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 05:20
• 91. Lachlan Norris, UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at 05:25
• 92. Michal KolÁr, BORA – HANSGROHE, at 05:26
• 93. Logan Owen, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 05:29
• 94. Ian Stannard, TEAM SKY, at 05:30
• 95. Mark Renshaw, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 05:32
• 96. John Murphy, HOLOWESKO | CITADEL P/B ARAPAHOE RESOURCES, at 05:34
• 97. Miguel Bryon, HOLOWESKO | CITADEL P/B ARAPAHOE RESOURCES, at 05:34
• 98. Alexander Kristoff, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 05:37
• 99. Lucas Sebastian Haedo, UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at 05:38
• 100. Fabian Lienhard, HOLOWESKO | CITADEL P/B ARAPAHOE RESOURCES, at 05:39
• 101. Nathan Haas, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 05:40
• 102. Thomas Leezer, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 05:46
• 103. Juraj Sagan, BORA – HANSGROHE, at 05:48
• 104. Tom Stamsnijder, TEAM SUNWEB, at 05:53
• 105. Jonathan Clarke, UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at 05:55
• 106. Mike Teunissen, TEAM SUNWEB, at 06:00
• 107. Sepp Kuss, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 06:02
• 108. Marcel Kittel, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 06:07
• 109. Caleb Ewan, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 06:13
• 110. Adam De Vos, RALLY CYCLING, at 06:20
• 111. Luka Mezgec, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 06:31
• 112. Yousif Mirza Al-Hammadi, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 06:32
• 113. Lachlan Morton, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 06:38
• 114. Johannes FrÖhlinger, TEAM SUNWEB, at 07:08
• 115. Travis Mccabe, UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at 07:24
• 116. Oliver Naesen, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 08:08

General classification

• 1. Tejay Van Garderen, BMC RACING TEAM, in 12:50:55
• 2. Egan Arley Bernal Gomez, TEAM SKY, at :23
• 3. Daniel Felipe Martinez Poveda, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at :37
• 4. Tao Geoghegan Hart, TEAM SKY, at :52
• 5. Adam Yates, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 01:07
• 6. Rafal Majka, BORA – HANSGROHE, at 01:29
• 7. Brandon Mcnulty, RALLY CYCLING, at 02:08
• 8. Laurens De Plus, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 02:13
• 9. Kristijan Đurasek, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 02:15
• 10. Brent Bookwalter, BMC RACING TEAM, at 02:34
• 11. Mathias Frank, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 02:36
• 12. William Barta, HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at 02:56
• 13. Antwan Tolhoek, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 03:28
• 14. Rúben Guerreiro, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 03:35
• 15. Sean Bennett, HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at 03:43
• 16. Neilson Powless, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 03:45
• 17. Gavin Mannion, UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at 03:54
• 18. Robert Britton, RALLY CYCLING, at 04:21
• 19. Ian Boswell, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 04:31
• 20. Toms Skujins, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 04:36
• 21. Edward Ravasi, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 04:38
• 22. Peter Stetina, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 04:38
• 23. Nicola Conci, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 04:39
• 24. Joseph Rosskopf, BMC RACING TEAM, at 05:22
• 25. Serghei Tvetcov, UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at 05:26
• 26. Taylor (t.j.) Eisenhart, HOLOWESKO | CITADEL P/B ARAPAHOE RESOURCES, at 05:39
• 27. Matteo Fabbro, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 06:30
• 28. Pavel Sivakov, TEAM SKY, at 06:38
• 29. Jack Bauer, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 07:48
• 30. Kasper Asgreen, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 08:33
• 31. Cyril Gautier, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 08:54
• 32. Ivo Oliveira, HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at 09:00
• 33. Michael SchÄr, BMC RACING TEAM, at 09:12
• 34. Patrick Bevin, BMC RACING TEAM, at 09:50
• 35. Jhonnatan Narvaez, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 10:01
• 36. Anass Ait El Abdia, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 11:00
• 37. Floris De Tier, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 11:05
• 38. Sebastian Henao Gomez, TEAM SKY, at 11:34
• 39. Andrei Krasilnikau, HOLOWESKO | CITADEL P/B ARAPAHOE RESOURCES, at 11:47
• 40. Tom-Jelte Slagter, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 11:55
• 41. Nils Politt, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 11:58
• 42. Jai Hindley, TEAM SUNWEB, at 11:58
• 43. Danilo Wyss, BMC RACING TEAM, at 12:09
• 44. Ben Gastauer, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 12:24
• 45. Pawel Poljanski, BORA – HANSGROHE, at 12:50
• 46. Nikias Arndt, TEAM SUNWEB, at 14:46
• 47. Lachlan Morton, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 15:27
• 48. Oliver Naesen, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 16:10
• 49. Alex Howes, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 16:38
• 50. Stijn Vandenbergh, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 16:44
• 51. Sepp Kuss, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 17:10
• 52. Julien Vermote, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 18:04
• 53. Simon Clarke, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 18:13
• 54. Kiel Reijnen, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 19:27
• 55. Silvan Dillier, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 19:29
• 56. Luke Rowe, TEAM SKY, at 19:48
• 57. Jay Robert Thomson, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 21:00
• 58. G Lawson Craddock, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 21:01
• 59. Peter Sagan, BORA – HANSGROHE, at 21:15
• 60. Jasper Stuyven, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 22:12
• 61. Jasper Philipsen, HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at 22:13
• 62. Reto Hollenstein, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 22:31
• 63. Maarten Wynants, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 22:37
• 64. Michael Hepburn, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 23:26
• 65. Caleb Ewan, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 23:43
• 66. Sven Erik BystrØm, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 23:46
• 67. Alexander Kristoff, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 24:21
• 68. Fabian Lienhard, HOLOWESKO | CITADEL P/B ARAPAHOE RESOURCES, at 24:23
• 69. Luka Mezgec, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 24:44
• 70. Lachlan Norris, UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at 24:48
• 71. Filippo Ganna, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 25:16
• 72. Travis Mccabe, UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at 25:37
• 73. Fernando Gaviria Rendon, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 25:55
• 74. Evan Huffman, RALLY CYCLING, at 25:57
• 75. Maximiliano Ariel Richeze, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 26:21
• 76. Mathew Hayman, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 26:22
• 77. Mike Teunissen, TEAM SUNWEB, at 26:28
• 78. Nathan Haas, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 26:30
• 79. Lucas Sebastian Haedo, UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at 26:51
• 80. Lukasz Wisniowski, TEAM SKY, at 26:58
• 81. Michael Rice, HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at 26:58
• 82. Gregory Rast, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 29:11
• 83. Mikkel Bjerg, HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at 29:26
• 84. Maciej Bodnar, BORA – HANSGROHE, at 29:30
• 85. Tanner Putt, UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at 29:30
• 86. Benoit Cosnefroy, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 29:32
• 87. Ian Garrison, HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at 29:33
• 88. Taylor Phinney, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 29:35
• 89. Scott Davies, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 29:46
• 90. Ian Stannard, TEAM SKY, at 30:04
• 91. John Murphy, HOLOWESKO | CITADEL P/B ARAPAHOE RESOURCES, at 30:08
• 92. Thomas Leezer, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 30:20
• 93. Adam De Vos, RALLY CYCLING, at 30:48
• 94. Yousif Mirza Al-Hammadi, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 31:06
• 95. Nathan Van Hooydonck, BMC RACING TEAM, at 31:11
• 96. Alvaro Jose Hodeg Chagui, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 31:33
• 97. Robin Carpenter, RALLY CYCLING, at 31:37
• 98. Johannes FrÖhlinger, TEAM SUNWEB, at 31:42
• 99. Daniel Oss, BORA – HANSGROHE, at 31:45
• 100. Iljo Keisse, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 32:26
• 101. Maximilian Richard Walscheid, TEAM SUNWEB, at 32:56
• 102. Rick Zabel, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 32:57
• 103. Daniel Mclay, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 33:24
• 104. Danny Pate, RALLY CYCLING, at 33:43
• 105. Tyler Magner, RALLY CYCLING, at 33:51
• 106. Mark Cavendish, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 33:59
• 107. Logan Owen, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 34:02
• 108. Roger Kluge, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 34:06
• 109. Miguel Bryon, HOLOWESKO | CITADEL P/B ARAPAHOE RESOURCES, at 34:07
• 110. Jonathan Clarke, UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at 34:26
• 111. Mark Renshaw, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 35:02
• 112. Ruben Companioni, HOLOWESKO | CITADEL P/B ARAPAHOE RESOURCES, at 35:08
• 113. Tom Stamsnijder, TEAM SUNWEB, at 35:38
• 114. Marcel Kittel, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 36:31
• 115. Michal KolÁr, BORA – HANSGROHE, at 43:56
• 116. Juraj Sagan, BORA – HANSGROHE, at 47:42