Stage 4: Vitoria-Gasteiz – Laguardia
Date: Tuesday, August 23, 2022
Distance: 152.5km
Stage timing: 13:40-17:30 CEST
Stage type: Hilly
Following three days in the Netherlands and an early rest day, the Vuelta a España returns to home soil on Tuesday for a 152.5km hilly route from Vitoria-Gasteiz to Laguardia. Expect the Basque fans to line the route as the race visits three Basque provinces over its three weeks for the first time since 2012. And it has been over half a century since the race has visited Laguardia, last in 1967.
The start in the capital of the region last hosted a Vuelta stage two years ago and is a familiar host from Itzulia Basque Country. The mediaeval city centre sits on a hill with a fortified wall above the Zadorra River and overlooks the high mountain peaks to come.
The peloton faces rolling terrain for the first 50 kilometres, after which the ups and downs across Álava begin. The route includes two KOM climbs, the second-category Puerto de Opakua (5 kilometres at 6.9%) and after 68km of punchy climbing the third-category Puerto de Herrera (7.3 kilometres at 4.8%) arrives. The Herrera mountain pass comes with just 15km to the finish and should provide a launching pad for riders to the sharp kick in the final 800 metres of the race, which tops out at close to 10%.
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