Garmin Sharp's Tyler Farrar won the fourth stage of the Tour Of California.
Without World Champion Philippe Gilbert, who went home to be with his wife who is due to give birth, the 134km stage from Santa Clarita to Santa Barbara start on another beautful day but not as warm as the first two days.
Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil-DCM) and Nathan Brown (Bontrager) attacked as soon as the stage started on the Newhall Ranch Road. However, they were soon brought back and it was gruppo compacto until Chad Beyer (Champion System), Frank Kevin Pipp (Bissell) and Nathan Brown (Bontrager).went off the front with 118kms to go.
They were joined by Christopher Baldwin (Bissell), Marsh Cooper (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) and James Stemper (5-hour Energy p/b Kenda) to form a six man break.
Chris Baldwin, who went into the stage, took over as the virtual leader on the road as he was only 3.19 down on Janier Acevedo and the gap had gone out to four minutes.
James Semper took the first sprint and the gap had come down to 3.25 with 69kms to go as the riders headed for the category four climb. Chris Baldwin went away early on that climb and took the full points ahead of Marsh Cooper before being joined by his fellow escapers.
The peloton were only 2.40 behind at the sprint at Ojai and Baldwin took the second sprint of a day when Vacansoleil announced they will not be sponsoring the team next season, two days after DCM pulled out.
On the Casitas Pass climb Nathan Brown, shot away to take the four points on the climb ahead of Baldwin and Pipp as the gap to the peloton came down to 1.20.
With Radioshack on the front of the peloton, the gap dropped again and with 21.5kms to go, the escapers were in sight on Route 192 heading into Santa Barbara County.
Cooper and Brown tried to get away with 17kms remaining but the Optum rider could not stay with Brown who darted off and was soon 45 seconds ahead on Hot Springs Road.
With 12.7kms, Jens Voigt broke from the peloton followed by UnitedHealthCare's Lucas Euser. They passed the escapers as did Cannondale's Peter Sagan and eventually caught Brown.
JJ Mendes took over at the front followed by Sylvain Chavanal and he was caught with 9.4kms to go.
The riders were strung out inside out the final three kilometres as the speed ramped.
Irish Champion Matt Brammier took the left hand side of the round about and shot away. He was caught by the unforgiving peloton with 900m to go as the teams tried to set up their sprinters.
Ken Hansom led out the sprint but it was Garmin Sharp's Tyler Farrar who won in a time of 3.14.09 ahead of Hanson, Gianni Meersman, Broecksman and Peter Sagan.
Janier Acevedo of the Jamis-Hagens Berman team keeps the golden jersey ahead of BMC's Tejay van Garderen and Irishman Philip Deignan of UnitedHealthcare.
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