Tour of the Basque Country 2022: Sprint triumph Martínez, Roglic keeps GC lead

image: Cor VosVictor Lafay attacks from the lead group on the last climb of the day. He is reeled in in the finale kilometre before Daniel Felipe Martínez sprints to victory, while Primoz Roglic stays in the race lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 4th stage 2022 Itzulia Basque Country

1. Daniel Felipe Martínez (col)
2. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) s.t.
4. Diego Ulissi (ita) s.t.
4. Primoz Roglic (slo) s.t.
5. Pello Bilbao (spa) s.t.
6. Orluis Aular (col) s.t.
7. Ruben Guerreiro (por) s.t.
8. Rudy Molard (fra) s.t.
9. Aleksandr Vlasov (rus) s.t.
10. Gianluca Brambilla (ita) s.t.

GC after stage 4

1. Primoz Roglic (slo)
2. Remco Evenepoel (bel) + 0.05
3. Daniel Felipe Martínez (col) + 0.11
4. Aleksandr Vlasov (rus) + 0.14
5. Adam Yates (gbr) + 0.18
6. Pello Bilbao (spa) + 0.19
7. Jonas Vingegaard (den) s.t.
8. Ion Izagirre (spa) + 0.20
9. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) + 0.22
10. David Gaudu (fra) + 0.32

Race report
High pace from the start and it’s hard to get away. Still, a group of 15 riders opens a small gap after 10 kilometres. Pascal Eenkhoorn, Davide Formolo, Mauri Vansevenant, Óscar Rodríguez, Geraint Thomas, Ruben Fernandez, Victor Lafay, Felix Großschartner, Tsgabu Grmay, Cristian Rodriguez, Mark Donovan, Jefferson Cepeda, Bruno Armirail, Mikel Iturria and Ruben Guerreiro extend their lead gradually.

The peloton surrenders after a 20 kilometres chase. And while Eenhoorn sits up and waits for the peloton the lead of the other fourteen widens to over 3 minutes.

Grmay goes solo on the road to Urruztimendi before Thomas, Lafay, Armirail and Guerreiro overhaul him on the climb, while Vansevenant, Formolo and Iturria regain contact before the first passage on the line. The peloton is trailing at 2.40 minutes.

Lafey heads out alone on the last climb up the Vivero. The Frenchman reaches the summit solo with Formolo, Thomas, Armirail and Guerreiro 50 seconds in arrears.

While the four are reeled in inside the last 10 kilometres, Lafay still leads the race. But he is caught just after the flamme rouge.

Martínez pips Alaphilippe for the win, while Ulissi comes home in third. Roglic, who finishes fourth and misses the bonus seconds, stays in the overall race lead.

Another interesting read: route 4th stage 2022 Tour of the Basque Country.