Tour of the Alps: Simon Carr takes on the 4th stage of the Tour of the Alps, marked by a big scare

The Briton Simon Carr won the 4th and penultimate stage of the Tour of the Alps on Thursday in Borgo Valsugana (Italy), the most difficult of the event, marked by a heavy fall by the Australian Chris Harper.

Carr (EF Education) scored his second victory of the year by completing, solo, a 141.3 km stage including two 1st category passes.

He beat the Australians Michael Storer and Ben O'Connor who took a few meters ahead in the final over the other favorites, including the Spaniard Juan Pedro Lopez, who remains leader of the general, and the Frenchman Romain Bardet. The latter remains 5th in the general classification.

The group of favorites which had come back to within a minute of Carr was disrupted by Harper's fall 30 km from the finish. The Jayco team rider made a mistake in the long descent of the Vetriolo pass: surprised by a manhole cover, he stumbled on the sidewalk and ended his fall by hitting his head - helmeted - against a lamppost .

Harper remained motionless for a few minutes, before getting up after being joined by emergency services. His team announced his retirement, without giving details of his state of health. O'Connor also crashed in the same place, but quickly returned to the race, with a scrape on his face.

SEE ALSO - Champions League: Paris Saint-Germain celebrates qualification for the semi-finals