Four different Jumbo-Visma riders have led the 2022 Vuelta a España in its first four stages, with triple champion Primož Roglič winning Tuesday’s first stage in Spain to take over the red jersey. It was Roglič’s tenth career Vuelta stage victory. First Robert Gesink led the race for the Dutch Bees, then Mike Teunissen and then Edoardo Affini.
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The Course
The Vuelta was back in Spain, starting in the Basque Country. It was a hilly parcours, with two categorized climbs over 152.2 km. The day ended with a 900-metre, 8.4 percent ramp up to the finish in Grenada on narrow roads.
A tasty course at #LaVuelta22 for the 152.5km stage 4.
Will the breakaway prevail? Or will the puncheurs fight for victory on the 900m climb to the finish, which averages 8.4%? pic.twitter.com/MwqCOP72bW
— Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team (@qst_alphavinyl) August 23, 2022
A six-man breakaway skipped free just after the start in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Astana’s Alexey Lutsenko, ninth in the Tour de France, was the best positioned on GC at +0:46.
Puerto de Opakua was the first Cat. 2 climb of the Vuelta. The sextet started up with a 2:30 gap, Jumbo-Visma and Bora-Hansgrohe leading the chase in the peloton. Joan Bou of Euskatel was first over, putting himself in the virtual blue polka dot jersey.
By the time the race reached the last categorized climb, Cat. 3 Puerto de Herrera, the frenetic pace of Bora-Hasgrohe had sopped up the fugitives. Affini himself led the field for his team leader Primož Roglič and then dropped away when the road kicked up.
🇪🇸 #LaVuelta22 – 🏁21 km
🇮🇹Affini has been dropped.#DomestiqueLive pic.twitter.com/XkukDmPdv9
— Domestique (@Domestique___) August 23, 2022
Julian Alaphilippe attacked towards the top but Roglič nabbed his wheel and crested first. But there were no gaps on the long descent, despite Remco Evenepoel and Vincenzo Nibali’s best efforts.
Positioning was crucial for the final skirmish. Seventy riders remained in the peloton. Movistar led under the red kite. Kenny Elissonde led out Mads Pedersen in the final 200 metres, but Roglič was just too good for everyone.
Wednesday shoehorns five categorized climbs in the last half of 187 km.
2022 Vuelta a España Stage 4
1) Primož Roglič (Slovenia/Jumbo-Visma) 3:31:05
2) Mads Pedersen (Denmark/Trek-Segafredo) s.t.
3) Enric Mas (Spain/Movistar) s.t.
2022 Vuelta a España GC
1) Primož Roglič (Slovenia/Jumbo-Visma)…
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