Pauline Ferrand-Prévot quietly moves into the Vuelta Femenina top ten in Lotte Kopecky's shadow
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Follow us on GoogleSmiling faces after stage four of the Vuelta Femenina — almost across the board. Lotte Kopecky won the stage and took over the race lead in the process. FDJ-SUEZ leader Franziska Koch gave up the red jersey but gained time on her rivals. And Visma | Lease a Bike, with Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, also had plenty to be happy about.
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First, though, let us linger on Kopecky, because what a story she is writing in this Spanish stage race. On day one she was second to Noemi Rüegg, on day two she was relegated following a sprint incident, and on day three it was EF Education-Oatly again — this time Cédrine Kerbaol taking the win. Kopecky, second again.
That led to some frustration, but the scowl gave way on Wednesday to a broad grin. Kopecky won stage four in a sprint finish. "I had to be patient, but we kept believing we could win. Today in the finale the team was on fire and they chased everything back. I had to move from wheel to wheel and it is brilliant that we can trade all those second places in for a victory."
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Visma | Lease a Bike see Ferrand-Prévot rising
Visma | Lease a Bike also had reason to smile. Canadian Sarah Van Dam recorded a top result for the third consecutive day. After fifth on stage two and third on stage three, Wednesday brought a sixth-place sprint finish. She now sits fifth in the overall standings. "Unfortunately I wasn't in position to contest the win today," she said in a team press release.
The feeling was good, so Van Dam can be expected to challenge again in stage five on Thursday. Then on Friday comes an uphill finish — Ferrand-Prévot's territory. The Frenchwoman came to the Vuelta to hunt for stage wins and sharpen her climbing legs, but after four days she is quietly sitting ninth in the overall standings.
Sports director Jos van Emden keeps the focus on the team's stated objective: a stage win. "Our plan was to be in the breakaway today, but unfortunately that didn't come off. Sarah was able to show herself again in the finale and Pauline made herself visible too. We are in a good position heading into the final weekend."
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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