The Angliru may be the obvious absentee from the itinerary in Asturias but this stage highlights the fact that there are many more great tests that can be set in this, Spain's main dairy-producing region. This is billed as the race's queen stage although the penultimate day to Ancares is perhaps even tougher. There are five cat 1 climbs, the Cordal, Cobertoria and San Lorenzo being regulars on the Vuelta route.
The Farrapona has only featured once before, back in 2011, when Sky duo Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome appeared to be closing in on a 1 2 GC finish when they kept their rivals in check as Rein Taaramäe won the stage atop the 17km Farrapona. With neither Wiggins nor Froome riding the Tour, will both reappear here?
Javier Guillén says: "The Farrapona starts off easy enough but gets serious in its final 5km. This section averages between eight and 10 per cent. With four passes before this, there's going to be a real battle and it should be spectacular both from the sporting and scenic perspective."
Copyright: lavuelta.com
-
As it happened: Breakaway hearts broken as the sprinters take stage 4 of La Vuelta Femenina
As the race heads toward the mountains, stage 4 brings the field a 115km race that begins in Monforte de Lemos -
Red Bull Kilometre sprints and stage finishes offer precious time bonuses during 2026 Giro d'Italia
Six, four and two second time bonuses positioned close to finished and final climbs, with €130,000 in extra prize money -
Vuelta Femenina: Lotte Kopecky wins hectic stage 4 sprint and uses bonus points to claim red leader's jersey
Anna van der Breggen second for SD Worx-Protime one-two finish in Antas de Ulla -
La Vuelta Femenina GC standings – Who is leading the race after stage 4?
General classification standings in the first Grand Tour of 2026
