Vos strikes again at Vuelta Femenina with victory on Stage 4

Marianne Vos increased her lead atop the general classification to 25 seconds after winning the fourth stage of La Vuelta Femenina in Guadalajara.

Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) celebrates winning Stage 4 of La Vuelta Femenina Source: Getty

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Vos launched her perfectly timed sprint on the descent into the Spanish province, where she crossed the line ahead of Emma Norsgaard (Movistar) and Marlen Reusser (Team SD Worx).

Already sporting the red leader’s jersey heading into the day’s action, the Jumbo-Visma star now holds a 25-second lead over Chloe Dygert (Canyon-SRAM) in the GC battle ahead of the first mountaintop finish on Stage 5.

Maryna Varenyk (Eneicat-CMTeam-Seguros Deportivos), Anna Kiesenhofer (Israel-Premier Tech-Roland), Patricia Ortega (Massi-Tactic), and Tota Magalhaes (Bizkaia Durango) were involved in the main break of the fourth stage, one that took place 44 kilometres into the 133.1-kilometre course.

The break’s advantage grew to 3’45” at one point but they were soon brought back together after Jumbo-Visma gradually closed the gap from the peloton.

Georgia Williams (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) and Aranza Villalon (Eneicat-CMTeam-Seguros Deportivos) were the next two riders to make a move, this time with 33 kilometres remaining, though their attack was contained by the time of the Alto de Horche.

Movistar took control of the four-kilometre climb, one with an average gradient of 4.9 per cent, and subsequently dropped Marta Cavalli (FDJ-SUEZ).

Elise Chabbey (Canyon-SRAM) came away with the mountains points, before Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) attacked alongside Demi Vollering (SD Worx) in a bid to anticipate a group sprint.

Their moves mattered for naught in the end, however, as both they and Liane Lippert (Movistar) among others were reeled in by the reduced peloton with three kilometres to go.

Reusser was next to attack roughly 500 metres from the finish, but once Dygert closed the gap, Vos pounced soon after to win her second consecutive stage at the Spanish Grand Tour.

“I was really nervous today,” Vos said after the race. “With the climbs coming up, all the teams wanted to be in front and all the GC riders wanted to be there if a move would go.

“The breakaway got quite a big gap, then we took control, and the girls did a really good job of bringing that down.

“From then on, it was trying to stay in front and in control of the group. I want to thank my team for doing that so well and being there with me in the final.”

Watch Stage 5 of La Vuelta Femenina tonight via SBS On Demand, with LIVE coverage commencing from 10pm (AEST).