YATES FACING AN UPHILL BATTLE AFTER ROGLIC MAKES HIS MOVE
BRITISH rider Adam Yates remains only four seconds off the lead in the Tour de France but the sturdier yellow jersey prospects are held by Primoz Roglic after the pre-race favourite won the fourth stage at Orcieres-Merlette. Yates, fourth in 2016, was 10th to cross the summit finish after the 160.5km stage from Sisteron. The MitcheltonScott climber finished in the same chasing cluster as the overall leader Julian Alaphilippe so his margin to the front is unchanged. Nonetheless it will take some effort to overhaul Roglic in the fullness of the race. There had been doubts about the Slovenian’s fitness after he was injured in a crash at the Criterium du Dauphine last month, but his win yesterday leaves him third overall, just 11 seconds behind Alaphilippe.