The Belgian was Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl’s top finisher Tuesday afternoon.
After a rest day, the race returned on home soil for stage 4, a 155.2km one between Vitoria and Laguardia, which made an appearance at La Vuelta for the first time since 1967, when it hosted the start of an individual time trial won by Raymond Poulidor.
Puerto de Herrera (7.3km, 4.8%) – a climb coming 15 kilometers from the line, which many knew from the Itzulia Basque Country – and a 900m uphill finish on an 8.4% average gradient were the day’s main attractions, one featuring 2000 meters of vertical gain.
Despite some skirmishes on the last ranked ascent, including an attack of Julian Alaphilippe, who picked up two bonus seconds, it all came down to a fight on the last ramp to the line. Brought close to the front of the bunch by Ilan Van Wilder, who worked hard also on the descent, Remco Evenepoel featured in this challenging finale, being among the few riders to make it into the first group when the peloton split with 200 meters to go.
As Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) sailed to victory, Remco made sure of not conceding any time and rolled over the line in eighth place, a result that moved him up several positions in the general classification. Ahead of another demanding stage in the Basque Country, the 22-year-old La Vuelta debutant sits sixth, only seven seconds off the podium and one second from the top of the white jersey classification.
“It’s mission accomplished. A one-kilometer uphill finish is a very intensive effort, the kind I haven’t done in training in a while. I knew I had to be in the front because gaps were possible and I’m glad I didn’t lose any time, that’s the most important thing”, Evenepoel said at the finish.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
