Marianne Vos won the fourth stage of the Vuelta Femenina on Thursday May 4th. The 35-year-old Jumbo-Visma rider won the sprint of a select group in the streets of Guadalajara. The bonus seconds allowed Vos to further extend her lead in the general classification.
Although stage four was marked as flat, the riders had to tackle several climbs. It was a change of tone after a fast team time trial and two flat stages. Attacks happened left and right for everything to come down to a sprint between a reduced bunch of 28 riders. Four escapees took the lead early on, but their attack was short-lived, partly thanks to Team Jumbo-Visma.
The peloton was considerably thinned out on the Alto de Horche, the day’s only categorised climb. Vos, Amber Kraak and Riejanne Markus were in the lead group for the Dutch team.
On the final descent, Demi Vollering and Liane Lippert attacked, but the work of Kraak and Markus neutralised their attack. Marlen Reusser tried to surprise her rivals in the final kilometre, but Chloe Dygert closed the gap. Red jersey wearer, Marianne Vos took full advantage and sprinted to her second win in a row.
“It was not an easy stage,” she said after the win. “After yesterday’s echelon stage, you could feel the tension in the peloton. Due to the climbs ahead, every team wanted to be at the front. We needed to stay calm and not let the lead group get too far away. The girls did a great job of bringing back the breakaway.”
Vos admitted that the attack by Vollering and Lippert could have been decisive. “When they go, you know it’s serious. But there was a lot of wind, which was probably not in their favour. Additionally, Amber and Riejanne made every effort to close the gap. Of course, it just has to happen, but sprinting is much easier when the team does all the work for you.”
Stage Result:
1. Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo-Visma) in 3h26’24’’
2. Emma Norsgaard (Movistar Team Women) at 0’’
3. Marlen Reusser (Team SD Worx) at 0’’
General Classification as at Thursday May 4th:
1. Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo-Visma) in 9h52’58”
2. Chloe Dygert (Canyon//SRAM Racing) at 25’’
3. Riejanne Markus (Team Jumbo-Visma
