Preview: What you need to know about stage 4 of the Vuelta a España
Preview: What you need to know about stage 4 of the Vuelta a España
Date: Tuesday August 17
Start: El Burgo de Osma
Finish: Molina de Aragón
Distance: 163.9 km
Likely to be a day for the sprinters, but this is not a normal sprint finish. After a pretty easy day, the last kilometer of stage 4 is uphill. It’s not super-steep (around 5% or so), but it will shed some riders.
Still, this should end in a reduced bunch sprint, with the more versatile riders likely to have an advantage in the final kick.
Who’s it for: Lighter sprinters / puncheurs.
Dane Cash’s picks: This one is tricky because that gradient will likely have an impact on the sprint, but the top sprinters should still be able to contend. Jasper Philipsen is the top favorite here, as he doesn’t a bit of a climb on a finishing straight and he already proved his form on stage 2. I also like Michael Matthews, who will find this finale to his liking. Fabio Jakobsen, Arnaud Démare, and Juan Sebastian Molano are the other riders to watch.
