MONTEREY, Calif. (AP) Peter Sagan successfully navigated two brutal climbs at the end of the fourth stage at the Tour of California on Wednesday, then outsprinted Greg Van Avermaet at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for his second victory in the first four stages.
Julian Alaphilippe finished with the leaders on the 134-mile ride to retain his overall lead.
Sagan, who captured the opening stage in San Diego, safely hid in the field until the final climbs, when the reigning world champion almost single-handedly nailed back every breakaway attempt.
Sagan slid into the slipstream of Nathan Haas after Laguna Seca's famous corkscrew turn, then split Haas and Van Avermaet and sprinted across the line before sitting up in victory.
The fifth stage Thursday is a climb-heavy 132-mile ride from Lodi to Lake Tahoe.
