Primož delivered an imposing performance on the slopes of Montserrat to take both the stage victory and the leader’s jersey on Stage 4 of the Volta a Catalunya. Just like yesterday, the stage was decided in a tight two-up battle, but this time it was Primož who outsprinted Juan Ayuso, securing his first win of the season.
The 188.7km stage from Sant Vicenç de Castellet to Montserrat provided a challenging test for the peloton, with a final ascent to the historic Montserrat Monastery. The 9km climb, with an average gradient of 6 percent, is one of the most iconic finishes in the Volta a Catalunya. Primož positioned himself well throughout the day, picking up valuable bonus seconds at the intermediate sprint in Manresa, which helped close the gap to Ayuso in the overall standings. As the peloton tackled the final climb, the high pace shattered the group, leaving only the strongest contenders to fight out the win. With 2.5km remaining, Ayuso launched a stinging attack, but Roglič responded swiftly, bridging across to set up a tense final sprint. This time, it was the Slovenian who had the edge, powering past Ayuso in the final meters to claim victory.
Speaking at the finish, Primož is optimistic about the albeit tough course still to come at the race:
“It’s always nice to win. For sure it was a hard stage, with a fast tempo right from the start. But luckily I had something left at the end to get to the line first! I was at camp and put in some good training. I’ve been away from my family for quite a few weeks, and came straight to the race, so I’ve had to make sacrifices in that respect. So it’s good that it’s brought some rewards at the race. There’s a hard course ahead still, but for the moment I’m going well and we are in a good position, so let’s take it day by day.”
Volta a Catalunya stage 4 results
- Primož Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) 4:24:08
- Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) s.t
- Enric Mas (Movistar) +3″
Volta a Catalunya general classification after stage 4
- Primož Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) 18:54:50
- Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) s.t
- Enric Mas (Movistar) +20″
