MONTEREY, Calif. — It was fitting that Peter Sagan would win a stage of the Tour of California on a racetrack.
The world champion and one of the fastest finishers in pro cycling successfully navigated two brutal climbs near the end of Wednesday’s stage, then outsprinted Greg Van Avermaet and Nathan Haas at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for his second victory in the first four stages.
Julian Alaphilippe finished with the leaders on the 134-mile ride to retain his overall lead.
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“It was very hard, the last two climbs, to be with the climbers and everyone was attacking,” said Sagan, who also captured the opening stage Sunday in San Diego. “(Van Avermaet) was always on my wheel and then after the last turn, I let one guy go in front of me and he pulled my sprint.”
That guy was Haas, who had attacked the moment the lead group finished a long downhill approaching 60 mph and made a left turn into the grounds of Laguna Seca. BMC Racing quickly pulled him back, and then Sagan — knowing he had the legs to win a sprint finish — began keeping an eye on breakaway attempts.
Twice he single-handedly nailed back attacks on the final climb, where the grade reached 14 percent, and that kept things together enough for him to win his record-extending 15th stage in California.
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“I have to thank my teammates,” he said. “They were pulling all day.”
Alaphilippe, who won the previous day’s climb up Gibraltar Road, earned an early 3-second time bonus to push the Frenchman’s lead to 22 seconds over American rider Peter Stetina. George Bennett of New Zealand is 37 seconds adrift as the race heads to the start of Stage 5 in Lodi.
The stage Thursday takes riders 132 miles, most of it spent climbing through forests and vineyards, to South Lake Tahoe. A short, steep climb near the finish could help to shape the overall race lead.
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Amgen Tour of California winner Julian Alaphilippe (yellow jersey) celebrates on the podium with runner-up Rohan Dennis, left, and third-placer Brent Bookwalter on May 22 in Sacramento.
(Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
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Julian Alaphilippe, left, is congratulated by Etixx/Quick-Step teammate Tom Boonen after clinching the overall title for the Amgen Tour of California on May 22 in Sacramento.
(Doug Pensinger / Getty Images)
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Mark Cavendish celebrates after winning the eighth and final stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 22 in Sacramento.
(Chris Graythen / Getty Images)
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Amgen Tour of California women’s winner Megan Guarnier is congratulated by men’s competitor Taylor Phinney after the final stage Sunday.
(Chris Graythen / Getty Images)
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Peter Sagan of Slovokia rides past a vineyard near Santa Rosa during the seventh stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 21.
(Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
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Cattle cross the road in front of a group of riders in open range during the seventh stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 21.
(Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
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Julian Alaphilippe of France retained the overall lead in the Amgen Tour of California on May 21 during the seventh stage.
(Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
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Norway’s Alexander Kristoff, right, overtakes of Peter Sagan of Slovakia in the final sprint of the seventh stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 21 in Santa Rosa.
(Chris Graythen / Getty Images)
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Alexander Kristoff reacts after winning the seventh stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 21 in Santa Rosa.
(Doug Pensinger / Getty Images)
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American Brent Bookwalter starts the individual time trial during the sixth stagte of the Amgen Tour of California on May 20 in Folsom.
(Chris Graythen / Getty Images)
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Britain’s Bradley Wiggins competes alongside a motorcyle with a cameraman during the sixth stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 20.
(Doug Pensinger / Getty Images)
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Julian Alaphilippe of France takes part in the individual time trial during the sixth stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 20.
(Chris Graythen / Getty Images)
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Rohan Dennis of Australia won the individual time trail during the sixth stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 20 in Folsom.
(Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
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Riders in the peleton cycle along Caples Lake during the fifth stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 19.
(Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
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France’s Julian Alaphilippe, the overall race leader, crosses the finish line during the fifth stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 19.
(Chris Graythen / Getty Images)
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Cyclists climb along Carson Pass Highway during the fifth stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 19, as racers made their way from Lodi to South Lake Tahoe.
(Doug Pensinger / Getty Images)
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Toms Skujins of Latvia celebrates after winning the fifth stage of the Amgen Tour of California, a race from Lodi to South Lake Tahoe, on May 19.
(Chris Graythen / Getty Images)
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Riders in the peloton makes their way up a hill along Route 1 during the fourth stage of the Tour of California on May 18.
(Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
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Riders in the Tour of California’s fourth stage cross the Bixby Bridge on their way from Morro Bay to Monterey on May 18.
(Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
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Riders in the peleton make their way along the coast during the fourth stage of the Tour of California on May 18.
(Joe Johnston / San Luis Obispo Tribune via AP)
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Riders in the peleton pass through San Simeon on the ride from Morro Bay to Monterey during fourth stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 18.
(Joe Johnston / San Luis Obispo Tribune via AP)
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Peter Sagan of Slovakia is kissed by the podium girls after being awarded the green jersey for the points leader following the third stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 17.
(Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
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Britain’s Peter Kennaugh, left, and France’s Bryan Coquard were involved in a crash during the third stage of the Tour of California on May 17.
(Doug Pensinger / Getty Images)
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The peloton makes the climb along Casitas Pass Road during stage three of the Amgen Tour of California on May 17.
(Doug Pensinger / Getty Images)
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A fan with a Union Jack runs on the road as Britain’s Andrew Tennant leads a breakaway along Westlake Boulevard in Thousand Oaks during the third stage of the Tour of California on May 17.
(Doug Pensinger / Getty Images)
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Ben King raises his hand in the air after edging out Evan Huffman to win stage 2 of the Tour of California in Santa Clarita on May 16.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
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Peter Sagan (yellow jersey) rides in the peloton not far from a fan running down the road during the second stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 16.
(Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
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Racers start the second stage of the Amgen Tour of California in South Pasadena on May 16.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Fans in South Pasadena cheer as racers start the 92-mile second stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 16.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Racers start the stage 2 ride of the Amgen Tour of California, from the first-time host city of South Pasadena to the veteran host city of Santa Clarita, on May 16.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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A fan takes photos as racers start the stage 2 ride of the Amgen Tour of California, from South Pasadena to Santa Clarita, on May 16.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Reigning race champion Peter Sagan, center in yellow jersey, waves to fans as racers prepare to start the second stage of the Amgen Tour of California in South Pasadena on May 16.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Racers are poised to start the second stage of the Amgen Tour of California in South Pasadena on May 16.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Ben King celebrates after winning stage 2 of the Amgen Tour of California in Santa Clarita on May 16.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
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Ben King, Amgen Tour of California stage 2 winner, stands between second-place finisher Evan Huffman, left, and third-place finisher Alexander Kristoff during the podium presentation in Santa Clarita on May 16.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
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Meanwhile, the four-stage women’s Tour of California begins Thursday with 72-mile loop of Lake Tahoe that finishes at the same ski resort as the men’s stage. Among the favorites will be Olympic gold medalist Marianne Vos, reigning U.S. champion Megan Guarnier and her teammate, Evelyn Stevens.
“It’s a top-class field, if you look around. It’s all the top-class riders from all around the world,” said Vos, who is back from injuries sustained in a crash earlier this year. “Everyone is in good form.”
