Martin bags Catalonia stage

Madrid - Irish rider Dan Martin of the Garmin-Sharp team won the fourth stage of the Tour of Catalonia in impressive fashion on Thursday, seizing the overall race lead in the process.

Martin broke clear with nearly eight kilometres remaining of the 217.7km stage - the longest of the race - through the Pyrenees to the ski station of Port-Aine.

He finished 36 seconds clear of Spain's Joaquim Rodriguez of the Katusha team, with Colombia's Nairo Quintana, winner of the third stage, in third place.

Martin now leads in the overall standings from Rodriguez, with Quintana third.

Last year's Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins came in sixth on the day and is fourth overall.

Overnight leader Alejandro Valverde was forced to abandon after an accident 119km into the stage.

Stage results:

1. Daniel Martin (Ireland / Garmin) 18:48:38"
2. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain / Katusha) +10"
3. Nairo Quintana (Colombia / Movistar) +32"
4. Bradley Wiggins (Britain / Team Sky) +36"
5. Michele Scarponi (Italy / Lampre) +39"
6. Robert Gesink (Netherlands / Blanco) +51"
7. Przemyslaw Niemiec (Poland / Lampre) +1:00"
8. Peter Stetina (U.S. / Garmin) +1:07"
9. Thibaut Pinot (France / FDJ) +1:13"
10. Jurgen Van den Broeck (Belgium / Lotto) +1:15"