Matt Brammeier's late bid for stage glory just comes up short in Santa Barbara

Matt Brammeier's late rocket from the flying peloton at the Tour of California just came up short after an aggressive finale

National road race champion Matt Brammeier put in a great bid for stage glory on yesterday’s fourth stage of the Tour of California, rocketing from the peloton in a solo move around 2.5km from the finish before being swallowed up well inside the last kilometre.

The Champion System rider, who had studied the closing kilometres carefully before the stage, rode a clever finale and was the only rider near the head of the bunch to take the last roundabout on the run in to the finish on the left hand side.

He attacked riding tight into the kerb and managed to open a very significant gap considering the lead out trains of the race’s best sprinters were at the head of affairs trying to keep the speed high to deter any such moves.

However, despite the presence of ORICA-GreenEDGE , Garmin-Sharp and others trying to dictate the approach to the finish in Santa Barbara after 134.5km, Brammeier’s attack looked for a brief period as if it had a fighting chance of making it all the way.

While he looked comfortable in full flight, the speed he left the bunch at simply could not be maintain and as he faded slightly and the group behind moved quickly to get him back under control, the gap was clearly closing as the riders passed under the kite with 1km remaining.

It was just after that point that the ORICA-GreenEDGE team, working for their star sprinting turn Michael Matthews, finally overhauled the Irishman to set the finish up for a bunch sprint.

Brammeier went back through the group like a stone as Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Sharp) galloped in for a convincing win, his first in almost a year.

Philip Deignan (Unitedhealthcare) came home safely in the bunch after what was a rolly and aggressive finale once the early breakaway had been caught. He will start today’s fifth stage still in third place overall, just 27 seconds down on leader Janier Acevedo, a Colombian riding for the Jamis-Hagens Berman team.

Today’s stage should once again suit the sprinters and may see Brammeier in the early attacks as part of his stated aim of getting in some breakaways.