Elia Viviani of Italy bolted to the front in the final yards to win Stage 4 of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge on Friday, while American Levi Leipheimer maintained his 11-second overall lead.

East Lyme native Tom Danielson, who competes for Garmin-Cervelo, remained fourth overall, 21 seconds off the lead. The race concludes Sunday in Denver.

Viviani, 22, a second-year pro who rides for the Italian Liquigas team, used a centerline sprint to complete the 82.3-mile Avon to Steamboat Springs road race in 2 hours, 58 minutes and 14 seconds.

"Today was a good course for my sprint," said Viviani, who had had four victories in his 2010 debut season.

Viviani got to the front following a lead-out from teammate Daniel Oss, who raised his arms behind the line to acknowledge his countryman's win.

Leipheimer regained the overall lead Thursday when he claimed his second stage of the race in the 10-mile, uphill Vail Time Trial. Leipheimer (BMC) finished 24th Friday.

"Tomorrow is a big obstacle on the way to Denver," said Leipheimer, now two days from his third stage race title of the season. "We just have to take it day to day."

Michael Mørkøv (Saxo Bank) of Denmark finished second in the stage, with Dutchman Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Skil-Shimano) third. The top 10 overall riders in the seven-day race all finished in the main field with 93 of the remaining 121 riders credited with the same time.

Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Cervelo), runner-up to Leipheimer in Stage 3, finished 21st in the stage and is second overall.

- Associated Press