Etixx - Quick-Step rider Rigoberto Uran, the designated leader of Tirreno-Adriatico, finished 2nd at 226km Stage 4 on Saturday out of the group behind solo stage winner Wout Poels (Team Sky).
Uran is now 2nd in the overall thanks to winning the field sprint, as he finished 14" down on Poels, the new race leader. Uran is 17" down from Poels in the overall.
Poels bridged to an attacking Giampaolo Caruso (Katusha) and went alone over the top of him with 6km to go in the stage. The race came back together with 10.5km remaining.
Etixx - Quick-Step looks next to a crucial stage of Tirreno-Adriatico, 196.9km Stage 5, from Esanatoglia to a Terminillo summit finish, on Sunday.
"First of all congratulations to Wout Poels," Uran said. "He was really strong in the final kilometers and he deserved the victory. Concerning the other guys, in the second lap the riders for the GC in the group were focusing on controlling the race with each other, so Poels took advantage and he won the stage with a good tactic. As for myself, I have to say I am happy with my result. I felt good the entire day. I sprinted to try and minimize the gap. Tomorrow the queen stage will probably decide the GC. I'm doing well in this Tirreno-Adriatico, so we will see what can happen. Then we will decide what will be our strategy for the final two days of the race."
