‘Sickener for Astana’ – Miguel Angel Lopez chalks up another DNF at Giro d’Italia on Stage 4

Miguel Angel Lopez’s miserable run at Grand Tours continued as he abandoned the Giro d’Italia on Stage 4. Lopez (Astana Qazaqstan) arrived in Italy on the back of DNFs at last year’s Tour de France and La Vuelta, the latter seeing him quit with just 20km remaining on the penultimate stage as his podium dreams unravelled. Ad/> “That’s a sickener for Astana,” said Rob Hatch on Eurosport commentary as news filtered through about Lopez’s latest withdrawal.

Giro d'ItaliaGiro d'Italia Stage 4 LIVE — Van der Poel faces head to Etna in pink as Lopez withdraws4 HOURS AGO Lopez was 34th in the general classification ahead of Tuesday’s trip up Etna, 53 seconds off race leader Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix). His team-mate Vincenzo Nibali remains Astana’s best-placed rider in the GC battle, with the ‘Shark’ in 12th, 30 seconds back. Astana can also take comfort from the fact Fabio Felline and Valerio Conti are also in the top 30.

After his Vuelta tantrum, Lopez was swiftly carted out of Movistar, with Astana offering him a lifeline. He last finished a Grand Tour in 2020, finishing sixth at the Tour de France, and has now failed to complete four of his last five outings over three weeks. The Colombian, dubbed ‘Superman’ by his supporters, was bidding to join an illustrious group of riders to win a stage at all three Grand Tours.

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