Chris Froome retains his slim lead at the Vuelta a Espana

Sky's Chris Froome retained his slim lead at the Vuelta a Espana

Chris Froome retained his slim lead at the Vuelta a Espana as Matteo Trentin became the 100th rider to win at least one stage in all three Grand Tours.

Team Sky's Froome finished safely in the peloton to keep his red leader's jersey on a day when a technical approach to the finish line in Tarragona produced several crashes.

But the 198km stage belonged to the 28-year-old Italian Trentin, who secured the second stage win for his Quick-Step Floors team at the 2017 Vuelta.

Trentin had finished behind team-mate Yves Lampaert in Sunday's second stage.

But this time he out-gunned Juan Jose Lobato (LottoNL-Jumbo) to the line after the Spaniard had begun his sprint with 250 metres to go.

Trentin stayed tucked in behind Lobato, and was able to jump to the left nearer to the finish and take victory by a bike length.

"I was looking for a victory because I'm really going good in this last part of the season," Trentin told reporters after adding a Vuelta stage victory to similar successes at the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia.

"After my crash at the Tour de France I was thinking about coming here and winning stages."

On becoming the 100th rider to win a stage on all three Grand Tours, Trentin - who is heading to Orica-Scott for 2018 - said: "I will think about that in the future.

"But I am really proud to do this with the Quick-Step team because next year I am going to change (team).

"It is great to have these results with this team."

Froome remains two seconds ahead of David De La Cruz (Quick-Step Floors), Nicolas Roche (BMC Racing Team) and Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing Team) in the general classification heading into Wednesday's 175.7km stage between Benicassim and Alcossebre.

Stage Four result (Escaldes - Tarragona - 198.2km)

1. Matteo Trentin (Ita) Quick-Step Floors 4hrs 43mins 57secs

2. Juan Jose Lobato (Spa) Team LottoNL-Jumbo

3. Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Cannondale-Drapac

4. Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo

5. Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Soudal

6. Sacha Modolo (Ita) UAE Team Emirates

7. Lorrenzo Manzin (Fra) FDJ

8. S0ren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb

9. Youcef Reguigui (Alg) Dimension Data

10. Jetse Bol (Ned) Manzana Postobon

General classification (after Stage Four)

1. Chris Froome (GBr) Team Sky 13hrs 37mins 41secs

2. David de la Cruz (Spa) Quick-Step Floors at 02

3. Nicolas Roche (Irl) BMC Racing Team at 02

4. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team at 02

5. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida at 10

6. Johan Esteban Chaves Rubio (Col) Orica-Scott at 11

7. Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team at 38

8. Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott at 39

9. Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale at 48

10. Simon Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott at 48