Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta: Silvia Persico wins uphill sprint on stage 4 as Annemiek van Vleuten holds overall lead

Issy Ronald
·16 min read
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This article originally appeared on Velo News

Silvia Persico (Valcar-Travel & Service) won the uphill sprint from a reduced peloton on stage 4 of the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta, taking her first Women’s World Tour win, after Anna Kiesenhofer (Soltec Team) came agonisingly close to a stage victory following a 160km long, solo attack.

Resplendent on her gold bike, marking her out as the Olympic road race champion, Kiesenhofer repeated her exploits in Tokyo, attacking from the gun and carving out an advantage that topped out at almost ten minutes, propelling her into the virtual race lead.

In the latter half of the race, however, Kiesenhofer’s advantage tumbled and she was eventually caught just one kilometer from the line as Persico ultimately proved the fastest from the peloton, beating Demi Vollering (SD-Worx) in second and Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) in third.

Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) retained her 1:51 overall race lead over Longo Borghini.

"Today I didn't feel good in the first part of the day but my teammates stayed with me all day so I'm very happy,” Persico said after the stage. “I started thinking in my head today must be good because this is my last race with this team. I take this victory and I'm very happy and thank you to my teammates because they were really fantastic. Today was a long stage and we started not too fast, the first two hours were not very fast and Anna did all day in the breakaway. We caught her in the last 1.5k so congrats to her and I'm very happy for this victory.”

“For sure for my team [there is another chance for victory tomorrow] and I hope for my sprinters Chiara [Consonni] and Karolina [Kumiega] and I hope I can finish this season with another victory for us because it has been an amazing year for us.”

How it happened

By far the longest stage of the race with a 17km neutral zone and 160.4km of racing, Stage 4 traversed rolling terrain from Palenica to Segovia. After an opening section filled with uncategorized climbs, the road flattened out before a final category 4 ramp 2.5km long at 3.7% less than ten kilometers from the finish line and an uphill kick to the finish.

Kiesenhofer (Soltec Team), racing as part of a professional team for the first time since 2017, set out on one of her now infamous solo breakaways and steadily built up a sizeable advantage that reached almost six minutes over the solo chaser Nina Buijsman (Human Powered Health) and seven minutes over the peloton with just over 100 kilometers to race.

That gap continued to grow and just ten kilometers later, Kiesenhofer had amassed a large enough advantage to move into the virtual race lead. Back in the peloton, Van Vleuten deployed her Movistar team to the front and even took turns on the front herself in an attempt to chase down the Austrian.

With 84 km to race, however, disaster struck as Kiesenhofer crashed but she remounted and continued her solo ride with still an almost ten minute lead over the peloton.

As Kiesenhofer's lone escape began threatening other GC positions, the pace intensified in the final 50 kilometers with the addition of other teams to the chase and the peloton finally started eroding the Olympic champion's advantage so that Van Vleuten retook the virtual race lead.

On the long, straight roads that cut through the Spanish plains, the familiar cat-and-mouse chase between the breakaway and peloton unfolded. Kiesenhofer's advantage slipped beneath four minutes with 25 kilometers remaining and she bowed her head in concentration, flicking her eyes towards her bike stem where reminders of her alter ego as a mathematician were painted.

With a stage win for the peloton back in range, teams in search of this goal also moved to the front including Canyon-SRAM, FDJ Suez-Aquitaine and Trek-Segafredo.

Kiesenhofer labored up the only categorized climb of the day and by the time she reached the summit, her advantage was just 2:06 and the pace in the peloton was such that multiple riders found themselves dropped.

The peloton strung out again on the gravel section eight kilometers from the finish while Kiesenhofer's lead slipped to under a minute, and on the long drag up to the line, she glanced behind her to see a charging peloton that flew past her with just a kilometer remaining.

Liane Lippert (Team DSM) kickstarted the sprint with a speculative, powerful attack 700m from the finish that drew out a small group from the rest of the peloton. Longo Borghini was next to move to the front, and Persico sat in her compatriot’s wake before sprinting out of it to take an impressive victory.

Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta Stage 4 Results

1

PERSICO Silvia

Valcar - Travel & Service

4:11:01

2

VOLLERING Demi

Team SD Worx

0:00

3

LONGO BORGHINI Elisa

Trek - Segafredo

0:00

4

KOPECKY Lotte

Team SD Worx

0:00

5

LIPPERT Liane

Team DSM

0:00

6

VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek

Movistar Team

0:00

7

LUDWIG Cecilie Uttrup

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

0:04

8

KOSTER Anouska

Team Jumbo-Visma

0:06

9

NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna

Canyon//SRAM Racing

0:11

10

GARCIA Mavi

UAE Team ADQ

0:13

11

BORGHESI Letizia

EF Education-TIBCO-SVB

0:16

12

CHABBEY Elise

Canyon//SRAM Racing

0:16

13

LABOUS Juliette

Team DSM

0:16

14

EWERS Veronica

EF Education-TIBCO-SVB

0:16

15

MANLY Alexandra

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

0:16

16

SHACKLEY Anna

Team SD Worx

0:16

17

SIERRA Arlenis

Movistar Team

0:20

18

BALSAMO Elisa

Trek - Segafredo

0:20

19

SANTESTEBAN Ane

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

0:22

20

BERTIZZOLO Sofia

UAE Team ADQ

0:22

21

NELSON Josie

Team Coop - Hitec Products

0:22

22

CHAPMAN Brodie

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

0:22

23

ALONSO Sandra

Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling

0:26

24

FISHER-BLACK Niamh

Team SD Worx

0:26

25

KRAAK Amber

Team Jumbo-Visma

0:31

26

GASKJENN Ingvild

Team Coop - Hitec Products

0:31

27

CONFALONIERI Maria Giulia

Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling

0:31

28

LOWDEN Joscelin

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

0:34

29

WRIGHT Sophie

UAE Team ADQ

0:37

30

BROWN Grace

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

0:43

31

KIESENHOFER Anna

Soltec Team

0:43

32

YONAMINE Eri

Human Powered Health

0:43

33

MACKAIJ Floortje

Team DSM

0:54

34

DE JONG Thalita

Liv Racing Xstra

1:40

35

NERLO Aurela

Massi - Tactic Women Team

1:40

36

ROSEMAN-GANNON Ruby

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

1:40

37

MARTIN Sara

Movistar Team

1:40

38

BERG EDSETH Marte

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

1:40

39

WILLIAMS Georgia

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

1:40

40

YSLAND Anne Dorthe

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

1:40

41

BUIJSMAN Nina

Human Powered Health

1:40

42

DEMEY Valerie

Liv Racing Xstra

1:40

43

SHAPIRA Omer

EF Education-TIBCO-SVB

1:40

44

MALCOTTI Barbara

Human Powered Health

1:40

45

LETH Julie

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

1:40

46

PIERGIOVANNI Federica Damiana

Valcar - Travel & Service

1:40

47

LACH Marta

Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling

1:40

48

STEPHENS Lauren

EF Education-TIBCO-SVB

1:40

49

VAN ANROOIJ Shirin

Trek - Segafredo

1:46

50

BASTIANELLI Marta

UAE Team ADQ

1:46

51

GUAZZINI Vittoria

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

1:46

52

TOMASI Laura

UAE Team ADQ

1:46

53

POIDEVIN Sara

EF Education-TIBCO-SVB

1:46

54

REUSSER Marlen

Team SD Worx

1:46

55

MUZIC Evita

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

1:46

56

STANNARD Elizabeth

Valcar - Travel & Service

1:46

57

BOOGAARD Maaike

UAE Team ADQ

1:46

58

ASENCIO Laura

Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling

1:46

59

ROOIJAKKERS Pauliena

Canyon//SRAM Racing

1:46

60

BRAND Lucinda

Trek - Segafredo

1:53

61

VAS Blanka

Team SD Worx

1:53

62

MENDEZ Irene

Bizkaia Durango

2:14

63

TON Quinty

Liv Racing Xstra

2:14

64

SOTO Catalina Anais

Bizkaia Durango

2:25

65

BARIL Olivia

Valcar - Travel & Service

2:28

66

ROY Sarah

Canyon//SRAM Racing

2:32

67

RAAIJMAKERS Marit

Human Powered Health

2:33

68

RIEDMANN Linda

Team Jumbo-Visma

2:36

69

NILSSON Hanna

Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling

2:36

70

NUNEZ Miryam Maritza

Massi - Tactic Women Team

2:44

71

SCHWEIKART Aileen

Bizkaia Durango

3:06

72

NEUMANOVA Tereza

Liv Racing Xstra

3:16

73

BIANNIC Aude

Movistar Team

3:55

74

ANDERSSON Caroline

Team Coop - Hitec Products

4:11

75

PEREZ Susana

Rio Miera - Cantabria Deporte

4:11

76

LUDWIG Hannah

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

4:11

77

LUTRO Amalie

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

4:11

78

JASKULSKA Marta

Liv Racing Xstra

4:19

79

OSTOLAZA Usoa

Laboral Kutxa Fundacion Euskadi

4:19

80

ERASO Idoia

Laboral Kutxa Fundacion Euskadi

4:19

81

GONZALEZ Lucia

Bizkaia Durango

4:19

82

STULTIENS Sabrina

Liv Racing Xstra

4:19

83

BARALE Francesca

Team DSM

4:19

84

BLANCO Iurani

Laboral Kutxa Fundacion Euskadi

4:19

85

TEUTENBERG Lea Lin

Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling

4:31

86

STEIGENGA Nicole

Team Coop - Hitec Products

4:31

87

CANTERA Ines

Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad

5:05

88

ACHTEREEKTE Carlijn

Team Jumbo-Visma

5:17

89

KUMIEGA Karolina

Valcar - Travel & Service

5:17

90

CAMPOS Daniela

Bizkaia Durango

5:27

91

KUIJPERS Evy

Human Powered Health

5:27

92

DIDERIKSEN Amalie

Trek - Segafredo

5:27

93

LARRARTE Eukene

Bizkaia Durango

5:27

94

ROBERTS Jessica

Team Coop - Hitec Products

5:27

95

NORSGAARD Emma

Movistar Team

5:27

96

HARVEY Mikayla

Canyon//SRAM Racing

5:27

97

AALERUD Katrine

Movistar Team

5:27

98

CONSONNI Chiara

Valcar - Travel & Service

5:27

99

RAMIREZ Andrea

Massi - Tactic Women Team

5:27

100

CAMPBELL Teniel

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

8:52

101

LE NET Marie

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

8:52

102

BUCH Hannah

Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad

9:18

103

JASTRAB Megan

Team DSM

9:55

104

GILABERT Ariana

Laboral Kutxa Fundacion Euskadi

9:55

105

MURESAN Manuela

Soltec Team

11:34

106

ESTEBAN Carolina

Rio Miera - Cantabria Deporte

23:02

107

IVERSEN Ane

Team Coop - Hitec Products

23:03

108

ALZATE Andrea

Soltec Team

23:03

109

CALVO Tania

Laboral Kutxa Fundacion Euskadi

23:11

110

TRAXLER Anna Gabrielle

Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad

23:20

111

GUTIERREZ Sandra

Laboral Kutxa Fundacion Euskadi

24:43

1

VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek

Movistar Team

10:00:02

2

LONGO BORGHINI Elisa

Trek - Segafredo

1:51

3

VOLLERING Demi

Team SD Worx

2:18

4

LIPPERT Liane

Team DSM

2:41

5

LUDWIG Cecilie Uttrup

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

2:50

6

SANTESTEBAN Ane

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

3:03

7

SHACKLEY Anna

Team SD Worx

3:14

8

LABOUS Juliette

Team DSM

3:35

9

CHABBEY Elise

Canyon//SRAM Racing

3:36

10

NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna

Canyon//SRAM Racing

3:45

11

CHAPMAN Brodie

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

3:54

12

PERSICO Silvia

Valcar - Travel & Service

3:57

13

GARCIA Mavi

UAE Team ADQ

4:16

14

EWERS Veronica

EF Education-TIBCO-SVB

4:48

15

MANLY Alexandra

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

4:58

16

SIERRA Arlenis

Movistar Team

5:21

17

KRAAK Amber

Team Jumbo-Visma

6:08

18

FISHER-BLACK Niamh

Team SD Worx

6:52

19

YONAMINE Eri

Human Powered Health

7:37

20

KIESENHOFER Anna

Soltec Team

7:57

21

KOPECKY Lotte

Team SD Worx

8:54

22

BROWN Grace

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

9:04

23

KOSTER Anouska

Team Jumbo-Visma

10:37

24

ROOIJAKKERS Pauliena

Canyon//SRAM Racing

11:00

25

MACKAIJ Floortje

Team DSM

11:08

26

VAN ANROOIJ Shirin

Trek - Segafredo

11:16

27

BERTIZZOLO Sofia

UAE Team ADQ

11:20

28

REUSSER Marlen

Team SD Worx

11:39

29

VAS Blanka

Team SD Worx

11:46

30

LOWDEN Joscelin

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

11:47

31

WILLIAMS Georgia

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

16:04

32

BALSAMO Elisa

Trek - Segafredo

16:09

33

WRIGHT Sophie

UAE Team ADQ

16:23

34

MARTIN Sara

Movistar Team

16:23

35

STANNARD Elizabeth

Valcar - Travel & Service

16:40

36

ASENCIO Laura

Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling

17:27

37

NELSON Josie

Team Coop - Hitec Products

17:29

38

GASKJENN Ingvild

Team Coop - Hitec Products

17:38

39

MALCOTTI Barbara

Human Powered Health

18:16

40

CONFALONIERI Maria Giulia

Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling

18:33

41

GUAZZINI Vittoria

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

18:38

42

AALERUD Katrine

Movistar Team

19:12

43

BARALE Francesca

Team DSM

19:21

44

MUZIC Evita

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

22:08

45

ROSEMAN-GANNON Ruby

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

22:33

46

ALONSO Sandra

Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling

22:34

47

BORGHESI Letizia

EF Education-TIBCO-SVB

23:00

48

LACH Marta

Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling

23:48

49

PIERGIOVANNI Federica Damiana

Valcar - Travel & Service

23:59

50

BASTIANELLI Marta

UAE Team ADQ

24:01

51

TOMASI Laura

UAE Team ADQ

24:01

52

ROY Sarah

Canyon//SRAM Racing

24:18

53

SHAPIRA Omer

EF Education-TIBCO-SVB

24:24

54

STEPHENS Lauren

EF Education-TIBCO-SVB

24:26

55

BUIJSMAN Nina

Human Powered Health

24:45

56

TON Quinty

Liv Racing Xstra

25:03

57

RAAIJMAKERS Marit

Human Powered Health

25:38

58

BRAND Lucinda

Trek - Segafredo

25:43

59

LUDWIG Hannah

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

26:41

60

NEUMANOVA Tereza

Liv Racing Xstra

26:54

61

NUNEZ Miryam Maritza

Massi - Tactic Women Team

27:04

62

YSLAND Anne Dorthe

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

28:18

63

DEMEY Valerie

Liv Racing Xstra

28:37

64

ACHTEREEKTE Carlijn

Team Jumbo-Visma

29:23

65

LE NET Marie

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

29:53

66

CANTERA Ines

Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad

30:02

67

BOOGAARD Maaike

UAE Team ADQ

30:52

68

HARVEY Mikayla

Canyon//SRAM Racing

31:21

69

BARIL Olivia

Valcar - Travel & Service

31:38

70

MENDEZ Irene

Bizkaia Durango

33:05

71

SCHWEIKART Aileen

Bizkaia Durango

33:57

72

JASKULSKA Marta

Liv Racing Xstra

33:59

73

STULTIENS Sabrina

Liv Racing Xstra

33:59

74

BERG EDSETH Marte

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

34:20

75

DE JONG Thalita

Liv Racing Xstra

34:25

76

STEIGENGA Nicole

Team Coop - Hitec Products

34:58

77

KUMIEGA Karolina

Valcar - Travel & Service

35:00

78

LETH Julie

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

35:09

79

ANDERSSON Caroline

Team Coop - Hitec Products

35:42

80

NILSSON Hanna

Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling

35:50

81

BIANNIC Aude

Movistar Team

35:57

82

RIEDMANN Linda

Team Jumbo-Visma

37:12

83

TEUTENBERG Lea Lin

Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling

37:38

84

OSTOLAZA Usoa

Laboral Kutxa Fundacion Euskadi

38:23

85

ERASO Idoia

Laboral Kutxa Fundacion Euskadi

38:27

86

RAMIREZ Andrea

Massi - Tactic Women Team

38:37

87

DIDERIKSEN Amalie

Trek - Segafredo

39:59

88

NERLO Aurela

Massi - Tactic Women Team

40:46

89

GONZALEZ Lucia

Bizkaia Durango

41:24

90

POIDEVIN Sara

EF Education-TIBCO-SVB

41:43

91

CONSONNI Chiara

Valcar - Travel & Service

42:27

92

SOTO Catalina Anais

Bizkaia Durango

43:26

93

NORSGAARD Emma

Movistar Team

43:40

94

CAMPBELL Teniel

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

44:53

95

JASTRAB Megan

Team DSM

46:36

96

BLANCO Iurani

Laboral Kutxa Fundacion Euskadi

48:37

97

ROBERTS Jessica

Team Coop - Hitec Products

49:09

98

LARRARTE Eukene

Bizkaia Durango

49:37

99

PEREZ Susana

Rio Miera - Cantabria Deporte

49:57

100

GILABERT Ariana

Laboral Kutxa Fundacion Euskadi

49:59

101

BUCH Hannah

Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad

54:21

102

MURESAN Manuela

Soltec Team

56:20

103

LUTRO Amalie

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

56:57

104

CAMPOS Daniela

Bizkaia Durango

59:01

105

KUIJPERS Evy

Human Powered Health

59:06

106

GUTIERREZ Sandra

Laboral Kutxa Fundacion Euskadi

1:05:52

107

IVERSEN Ane

Team Coop - Hitec Products

1:06:45

108

ALZATE Andrea

Soltec Team

1:07:49

109

TRAXLER Anna Gabrielle

Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad

1:08:27

110

ESTEBAN Carolina

Rio Miera - Cantabria Deporte

1:08:48

111

CALVO Tania

Laboral Kutxa Fundacion Euskadi

1:16:44

1

PERSICO Silvia

Valcar - Travel & Service

43

2

LONGO BORGHINI Elisa

Trek - Segafredo

43

3

VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek

Movistar Team

41

4

VOLLERING Demi

Team SD Worx

34

5

LIPPERT Liane

Team DSM

33

6

CHABBEY Elise

Canyon//SRAM Racing

32

7

KOPECKY Lotte

Team SD Worx

28

8

BROWN Grace

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

25

9

NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna

Canyon//SRAM Racing

25

10

LUDWIG Cecilie Uttrup

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

23

11

BALSAMO Elisa

Trek - Segafredo

16

12

SIERRA Arlenis

Movistar Team

12

13

MANLY Alexandra

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

11

14

GARCIA Mavi

UAE Team ADQ

11

15

LABOUS Juliette

Team DSM

10

16

KOSTER Anouska

Team Jumbo-Visma

8

17

EWERS Veronica

EF Education-TIBCO-SVB

7

18

SHACKLEY Anna

Team SD Worx

6

19

SANTESTEBAN Ane

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

6

20

BORGHESI Letizia

EF Education-TIBCO-SVB

5

21

KRAAK Amber

Team Jumbo-Visma

4

22

CHAPMAN Brodie

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

2

23

KIESENHOFER Anna

Soltec Team

1

1

BRAND Lucinda

Trek - Segafredo

44

2

VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek

Movistar Team

32

3

ROY Sarah

Canyon//SRAM Racing

22

4

LIPPERT Liane

Team DSM

20

5

NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna

Canyon//SRAM Racing

16

6

LONGO BORGHINI Elisa

Trek - Segafredo

16

7

VOLLERING Demi

Team SD Worx

15

8

SIERRA Arlenis

Movistar Team

9

9

CHABBEY Elise

Canyon//SRAM Racing

7

10

NORSGAARD Emma

Movistar Team

6

11

KOSTER Anouska

Team Jumbo-Visma

4

12

KIESENHOFER Anna

Soltec Team

3

13

GARCIA Mavi

UAE Team ADQ

3

14

CHAPMAN Brodie

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

2

15

PERSICO Silvia

Valcar - Travel & Service

2

16

CAMPBELL Teniel

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

2

17

VAS Blanka

Team SD Worx

1

1

Team SD Worx

29:22:55

2

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

5:45

3

Team DSM

6:09

4

Canyon//SRAM Racing

6:38

5

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

9:14

6

Movistar Team

10:15

7

Trek - Segafredo

18:33

8

UAE Team ADQ

19:12

9

Team Jumbo-Visma

31:34

10

Valcar - Travel & Service

31:51

11

Human Powered Health

36:11

12

EF Education-TIBCO-SVB

38:27

13

Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling

45:53

14

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

50:58

15

Team Coop - Hitec Products

54:16

16

Liv Racing Xstra

1:00:06

17

Massi - Tactic Women Team

1:24:40

18

Bizkaia Durango

1:29:57

19

Laboral Kutxa Fundacion Euskadi

1:41:31

20

Soltec Team

1:54:29

21

Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad

2:04:29

Results provided by ProCyclingStats.

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