The Vuelta Ciclista Andalucia Elite Woman concluded in Pizarra with an electrifying sprint finish that saw Arlenis Sierra claim victory in the final stage, halting Liv-AlUla-Jayco’s hopes of a clean sweep. Cuban national champion Sierra’s win in Pizarra brought her first victory of the season.
The last stage, from Alhaurín de la Torre to Pizarra in Málaga, witnessed an ambitious attempt by Liv-AlUla-Jayco to dominate the race. The scorching heat and challenging terrain of the Guadalhorce Valley did little to deter the riders, who were eager to make an impact. The day’s course included two categorised climbs: Alto del Caminito del Rey and Puerto Martinez.
Initially, the peloton remained together, but five riders managed to break away briefly before being reeled in. Joscelin Lowden then made a solo move, maintaining a one-minute lead up the first climb. However, she was caught just before the summit of Puerto Martinez.
At the intermediate sprint in Pizarra, Silke Smulders secured her lead in the secondary classification. Alex Manly also contributed points towards Liv-AlUla-Jayco’s dominance in the mountain classification, ensuring the team secured all classifications except the final stage win.
In the final kilometres, Mireia Benito attempted to break away but was brought back by Movistar, setting up the stage for a sprint finish. In the closing metres, Sierra surged ahead of her rivals, with Quinty Ton finishing second and Alena Amialiusik taking third.
Reflecting on her victory, Sierra remarked, “The team did an excellent job today, and I’m thrilled to deliver this win for Movistar. It’s a fantastic way to start the season.”
Despite not clinching the final stage, Liv-AlUla-Jayco had reason to celebrate. Mavi García maintained her overall lead to win the Vuelta Andalucia, marking her first victory of the season. García’s teammates, stage 1 winner Silke Smulders and Ella Wyllie completed the overall podium, showcasing the team’s strength throughout the race.
García, the first Spanish rider to win the Vuelta Andalucia, commented, “It’s been a long time since my last win, and to do it here with such strong support from my team is incredible.”
With Liv-AlUla-Jayco also winning the team classification, the mountain, regularity, combined, and best Spanish rider classifications, their dominance in this edition was unmistakable.
2024 Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta del Sol Women Stage 4 result
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2024 Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta del Sol Women GC result
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