Preview - Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta stage 4

From the 7th to the 11th of September the women's peloton will be going through the roads of Spain as they tackle the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta, one of the most important races in the calendar, which is raced alongside the men's Vuelta a Espana.

The first 55 kilometers of stage four may perhaps be the hardest of the race, as they feature no less than 7 small hilltops just outside of Palencia. Over the last few stages the race has gained some order, but on the fourth stage - perhaps the final opportunity for the GC riders to create differences - the script may be flipped as the start to the long 159.5-kilometer stage is very hard and explosive. Favourable to aggressive racing.

Very dangerous attacks and groups may be created there, although afterwards the riders face a long flat section in which the race should settle down and reorganize. However, the finale will be hard aswell as before the finale in Segovia - which features 2.4 kilometers at 3.5% - there will be a 1700-meter gravel sector that finishes with only 6.5 kilometers to go.

CyclingUpToDate prediction:
*** Annemiek van Vleuten
** Grace Brown, Demi Vollering
* Katarzyna Niewiadoma, Elisa Longo Borthini, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig