The American Kristen Faulkner (EFE Education-Cannondale) won the fourth stage of the Women’s tour of Spaindisputed between the towns of Molina de Aragon and Zaragozawhere the Dutch Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) took the lead from Hungarian Blanka Vas (SD Worx-Protime).
Faulknerwho spent 3h 02:42 to complete a 142.3 kilometer route, overtook Georgia Baker (Liv-AlUla-Jayco), second, at the finish line, who Youthird, unable to resist a smart American attack with five kilometers left on a stage marked by the wind and a cut in which a peloton of 19 runners, including almost all the favorites, starred in a breakaway for a good part of the day.
Third place was good enough for Vos, who was always very attentive to any eventuality. And, predictably – as many runners announced before the start – the wind can cause a lot of problems. In fact, 30 kilometers into the race, the peloton split into several groups and in the main group 19 cyclists survived, Vas and Vos among the chosen ones.
Then began one of the great battles of the day. The main group, with almost all the favorites, fought to maintain the distinctions in a second platoon in which are the names like Mavi García and Teniel Campbell (Liv-AlUla-Jayco); Brodie Chapman, Lizzie Deignan and Gaia Realini (Lidl-Trek) and Jelena Eric, Liane Lippert and Olivia Baril (Movistar Team).
In total, they managed to accumulate a maximum 1 minute and 48 second difference with just over half a stage remaining. That fare is lowered to 40 seconds after passing through the ramps of the Port of Paniza. However, with 25 kilometers to go, it increased to 1 minute and 45 seconds.
Vos then took the intermediate sprint and gained six bonus seconds that would later be key to taking the lead in the classification. Vas, second, held four, but then he also entered behind his rival at the finish line and was left without the red jersey.
At 19, it is Faulkner took the cat out of the water after launching a strong attack in the final kilometers. Marlen Reusser (Team SD Worx-Protime) and Vos himself tried to respond without success, eventually being joined by the rest of the group. The American cyclist had an advantage of 10 seconds, decisive for the victory in the fourth stage where the second group lost two minutes on a day where there was a change of leader: Vos replaced Vas.
Source: La Verdad
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