Tour de Romandie 2022: Higuita wins Queen Stage, Dennis retains lead

image: Cor VosSergio Higuita sprints to victory in the Queen Stage of the Tour de Romandie. Aleksandr Vlasov and Juan Ayuso finish in second and third, while Rohan Dennis crosses the line 3 seconds later to stay in the GC lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 4th stage 2022 Tour de Romandie

1. Sergio Higuita
2. Aleksandr Vlasov s.t.
3. Juan Ayuso s.t.
4. Ben O’Connor s.t.
5. Thibaut Pinot s.t.
6. Michael Woods s.t.
7. Gino Mäder s.t.
8. Sebastien Reichenbach s.t.
9. Simon Geschke s.t.
10. Carlos Verona s.t.

11. Rohan Dennis + 0.03

GC after stage 4
1. Rohan Dennis
2. Juan Ayuso + 0.15
3. Aleksandr Vlasov + 0.18
4. Ben O’Connor + 0.25
5. Luke Plapp + 0.30
6. Gino Mäder + 0.32
7. Sebastien Reichenbach + 0.37
8. Neilson Powless + 0.41
9. Simon Geschke + 0.42
10. Steff Crass + + 0.45

Race report
A group of eleven riders joins forces early on. Ion Izagirre senses potential and bridges across to Harm Vanhoucke, Raúl García Pierna, Filippo Colombo, Yannis Voisard, Nils Brun, Quinten Hermans, Óscar Rodriguez, Ivo Oliviera, Toms Skujins, Marco Brenner and James Knox, and they open a 5 minutes gap.

Van Houcke and Knox attack from the lead group on the third climb. Izagirre, Rodriguez and Skujins follow the move and Brun rejoins them after the summit. The Swiss riders loses contact again before the 30 kilometres long ascent to the line.

Izagirre and Rodriguez are the remaining attackers in the last 14 kilometres, but they are caught also with 9 kilometres to go. Einer Rubio goes on the counter-attack.

The Colombian opens a 15 seconds gap, but he is caught inside the last 500 metres. In the ensuing sprint Higuita takes the spoils ahead of his team mate Vlasov and Ayuso. Dennis can’t follow the sprint and finishes 3 seconds later.

The Australian stays in the GC lead, 15 seconds head of Ayuso with Vlasov 3 seconds further back.

Another interesting read: route 4th stage 2022 Tour de Romandie.