Geraint Thomas retains Volta ao Algarve lead as Richie Porte wins stage four

Geraint Thomas retained the overall lead of the Volta ao Algarve in Portugal as Team Sky team-mate Richie Porte climbed to victory on stage four.

Porte picked up his third win of the season by beating Michal Kwiatkowski into second place by three seconds and Ion Izagirre into third by six seconds on the summit finish on Alto do Malhao.

Thomas crossed the line nine seconds down in fourth place, which was enough to ensure he takes a 27-second overall lead over Kwiatkowski into Sunday’s fifth and final stage, which should end in a sprint in Vilamoura.

It was the second time Porte has won Alto do Malhao and Team Sky's fourth victory on the mountain in five years.

Porte told teamsky.com: "I never really thought that a win would be an option for me going into today. It’s always great to win a stage but it was all for G going into today.

"The guy has done me that many favours and put his race on the line that many times for me. To win that stage and have him retain his GC is an unbelievable day for us."

Stage four result

1 Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky, 5:55:34
2 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Etixx – Quick-Step, +3secs
3 Ion Izagirre (Esp) Movistar, +6
4 Geraint Thomas (GB) Team Sky, +9
5 Michael Woods (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies, +13
6 Tiago Machado (Por) Katusha, same time
7 Davide Formolo (Ita) Cannondale-Garmin, +16
8 Alberto Losada (Esp) Katusha, +21
9 Luis Leon Sanchez (Esp) Astana, +25
10 Jose Mendes (Por) Bora-Argon 18, +31

General classification

1 Geraint Thomas (GB) Team Sky, 15:30:33
2 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Etixx – Quick-Step, +27secs
3 Tiago Machado (Por) Katusha, +1:11
4 Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky, +1:14
5 Luis Leon Sanchez (Esp) Astana, +1:18
6 Rein Taaramae (Est) Astana, +1:19
7 Sergei Chernetckii (Rus) Katusha, +1:32
8 Alberto Losada (Esp) Katusha, +1:55
9 Ruben Fernandez (Esp) Movistar, +2:04
10 Ion Izagirre (Esp) Movistar, +2:21