In a demanding finish, Kevin Castillo (Team Sistecrédito) was victorious in the fourth stage of the Clásico RCN 2024, after riding 169.5 kilometers between Puerto Salgar and Ibagué with a finish in the Plaza de Bolívar. Before the queen stage this Wednesday with finish in Manizales, Rodrigo Contreras (Nu Colombia) is still the leader.
The rider from Risaralda won in a tiring day with a time of 4 hours, 8 minutes and 34 seconds, behind two riders from Boyaca, in second place Adrián Bustamante (GW Erco Shimano) and Aldemar Reyes (Team Medellín-EPM) finished third.
As for the general classification, the rider from Villapinzón, Cundinamarca, Rodrigo Contreras (Nu Colombia) maintained his advantage of 11 seconds over his teammate Cristian Camilo Muñoz and 14 seconds over Andrés Camilo Ardila.
In the early stages, the day’s breakaway was formed by a large number of riders: Cristian Vélez (GW Erco Shimano), Hernán Darío Gómez (Team Fundecom-Arroz Sonora), Jhon Jiménez (7C Economy Costa Rica), Cristian Cubides (EBSA), Leison Maca (Ron Viejo de Caldas), Samuel Herrera (Team Sistecredito), Juan Manuel Barboza (Orgullo Paisa), Alejandro Osorio (GW Erco Shimano), Daniel Arroyave (GW Erco Shimano) and Róbingzon Oyola (Team Medellín-EPM).
The inclement sun that was present throughout the entire route saw how little by little the breakaway disintegrated, with 7 kilometers to go, Leison Maca (Ron Viejo de Caldas) and Daniel Arroyave (GW Erco Shimano) resisted at the head of the race.
In the closing, David Hoyos (Avinal-Alcaldía El Carmen de Viboral) gave chase to the leaders forming a trio, but the lot spoiled the party and neutralized them less than a thousand meters, leaving everything to the sprint in which the risaraldense Kevin Castillo (Team Sistecrédito) was the fastest.
The fifth fraction of the ‘Duel of Titans’ will be disputed this Wednesday over 183.4 kilometers between Ibagué and Manizales (Cyprus). A day that will pass through the fearsome Alto de la Línea, considered the queen stage of the Clásico RCN 2024.
Clásico RCN 2024
Results Stage 4 | Puerto Salgar -> Ibagué (169,5 km)
| 1 | Kevin Castillo | Team Sistecrédito | 4:08:34 |
| 2 | Adrián Bustamante | GW Erco Shimano | m.t. |
| 3 | Aldemar Reyes | Team Medellín-EPM | m.t. |
| 4 | Wilmar Paredes | Team Medellín-EPM | m.t. |
| 5 | Sebastián Castaño | Team Sistecrédito | m.t. |
| 6 | Sergio Henao | Nu Colombia | m.t. |
| 7 | Rodrigo Contreras | Nu Colombia | m.t. |
| 8 | Diego Pescador | GW Erco Shimano | m.t. |
| 9 | Anderson Castro | Colombia Potencia de la Vida | m.t. |
| 10 | Daniel Méndez | Nu Colombia | m.t. |
Ranking General
| 1 | Rodrigo Contreras | Nu Colombia | 14:05:46 |
| 2 | Adrián Bustamante | Nu Colombia | 0:11 |
| 3 | Andrés Camilo Ardila | Nu Colombia | 0:14 |
| 4 | Diego Pescador | GW Erco Shimano | 0:16 |
| 5 | Adrián Bustamante | GW Erco Shimano | 0:20 |
| 6 | Edgar Andrés Pinzón | GW Erco Shimano | 0:20 |
| 7 | Robinson López | GW Erco Shimano | 0:20 |
| 8 | Daniel Méndez | Nu Colombia | 0:21 |
| 9 | Kevin Castillo | Team Sistecrédito | 0:30 |
| 10 | Wilson Peña | Team Sistecrédito | 0:40 |
Source: Revista Mundo Ciclístico