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

Issy Ronald

Sat, September 10, 2022 at 5:28 PM UTC

16 min read

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

Stage
GC
Points
Mountains
Teams

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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Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta Stage 4 Results

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