Bouhanni turns the table on Cimolai at Catalunya

Nacer Bouhanni won a weather-affected fourth stage of the Volta a Catalunya while Tejay van Garderen retained the overall lead.

Nacer Bouhanni getting low and fast in the race to the finish. Source: AAP

Snow meant the stage from Llivia to Igualada was reduced by 50km and after several failed attacks towards the end of the day it came down to a bunch sprint which Bohanni (Cofidis) took comfortably.

He finished ahead of Davide Cimolai (FDJ) and Daryl Impey (Orica-Scott).

BMC's Van Garderen finished safely in the pack to retain his 41-second advantage ahead of the fifth stage which features a 1,000 metre climb towards the finish in Lo Port.

Team-mate Samuel Sanchez is his closest challenger with Team Sky's Geraint Thomas a further three seconds back. Alberto Contador is seventh, one minute 13 seconds in arrears.

Tour de France champion Chris Froome (Sky), Alejandro Valverde and his Movistar team-mate Marco Soler attacked near the summit of the second category Tudo del Puig and managed to open a small gap before being caught with five kilometres left.

Nacer Bouhanni (R) takes a win at the Volta a Catalunya. Source: Getty