German rider Erik Zabel of Team Milram won today’s sprint, beating out all other sprinters who survived two mass crashes, one about 30 km from the finish and another at about the 1km banner. Rabobank’s Oscar Freire (who won his third stage of the Vuelta yesterday) was not among the first group to finish. , who finished second today, has fallen just short of winning a Vuelta stage once again. Quick Step’s Paolo Bettini, the current world champion who also won stage three, finished third today.

Alberto Fernandez (Saunier Duval), who spilled into the concrete barrier near the end of stage three, and Bert Roesems (Predictor Lotto), who took the worst part of the spill outside of 30 km today, both were forced to abandon. Tomorrow will be the Race of Truth.