Agtmaal wins 4th stage in Surakarta

Agtmaal wins 4th stage in Surakarta

Dutch cyclist Peter Van Agtmaal of the Jong & Laan
team took the fourth stage from Yogyakarta to Surakarta on
Thursday but Iranian Hossein Askari retained the Tour
d'Indonesia's yellow jersey.

Agtmaal covered the 135.2-kilometer route in three hours, 36
minutes, 50 seconds to beat last year's champion New Zealander
Nathan Dahlberg of Greenfields Fresh Milk, who finished two
seconds behind in second place.

Dahlberg was a close rival to Agtmaal over the last 10
kilometers but he was also under pressure from the Giant Racing
Team's members.

"I was attacked by the Giant riders. They kept pressuring me
but I managed to break away," Dahlberg was quoted by Antara as
saying. He also won the climb category in Kopeng, 1,400 meters
above sea level.

Askari, who won the third stage, finished in 12th place but
still maintained the lead.

"This stage was tough due to its hilly and twisting roads.
It's very dangerous. But nothing bad has happened so far," Askari
said.

Ryan Ariehaan of the Dodol Picnic Garut kept the red-and-white
jersey as the most competitive national cyclist, while Filipino
sprinter Rhyan Tanguilig retains the green jersey.

The cyclists take a one-day break in Surakarta before resuming
with the fifth stage to Madiun.

The 9-stage race ends in Denpasar, Bali, on Sept. 21. - JP