#TotA Day 4 – The Queen Stage leads the peloton in Trentino

Good morning from the 2024 Tour of the Alps! With its 141,3 Km from Leifers/Laives, in Südtirol/Alto Adige to Borgo Valsugana, in Trentino, stage 4 is yet another promise of a great show on Thursday, April 18th. With the way the race has been conducted so far and considering the stage profile, new GC leader Juan Pedro Lopez will be tested on four Alpine climbs.

An unprecedented side of Passo del Vetriolo (Strada dei Baiti) could offer to Lopez0 rivals one of the biggest opportunities to try to upset the GC. From former leader Foss to O’Connor, Tiberi, Bardet and Poels, they will all be tested in the Tour of the Alps queen stage, featuring the climbs of San Lugano, Redebus and Compet, before the Vetriolo pass and the final ascent of Colle San Marco. With just the grand finale in Levico Terme left after this effort, there’s no time to hide: a big part of the 2024 Tour of the Alps could be played today.

After a quick warm up in the first kilometers, the riders will face the ascent toward St. Lugan Pass/Passo San Lugano. Once the racers enter the Val di Cembra, a new climb toward Brusago will prepare the peloton for an even more challenging 4 kilometers up to the Passo Redebus. A long, smooth downhill brings the pack to Pergine Valsugana, right before a new climb to the Passo del Compet KOM.

The route continues descending toward Levico Terme, before a sudden turn skyward to tackle a new and highly demanding climb up the Passo del Vetriolo, the “Strada dei Baiti.” This climb will be followed by a long descent to bring the peloton to the valley floor before taking on the day’s final climb, the Colle San Marco. From its peak, the road features seven kilometers of average descending, and two kilometers of flat riding until the finish in Borgo Valsugana.

TOUR OF THE ALPS' LEADERS

General Classification - Green Jersey Melinda: Juan Pedro Lopez (Lidl-Trek)
Points Classification - Red Jersey DAO Conad: Tobias Foss (INEOS Grenadiers)
KOM Classification - Blue Jersey Gruppo Cassa Centrale: Mattia Bais (Polti-Kometa)
Youth Classification - White Jersey Würth: Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain-Victorious)
Combativity Classification - Ockra Jersey Subito: Simon Pellaud (Tudor Cycling Team)

DISPOSITION
Start: 11.20, Leifers/Laives, SS12
Finish: 15.15, Borgo Valsugana, Via A. Spagolla
Intermediate Sprints: Sover (Km 44,9), Novaledo (Km 121,9)
KOM: Passo del Compet (1a cat. Km 86,2), Passo del Vetriolo (1a cat., Km 104,1)
Totahaus Würth Permanence: Borgo Valsugana, Municipio, Piazza De Gasperi, 20

START: LEIFERS/LAIVES. Leifers/Laives, the youngest of the eight major cities of Südtirol/Alto Adige, is symbolized by the apple. Over 220 families cultivate 15 varieties of this fruit across roughly 500 hectares, amounting to about a fifth of the municipal territory. The emblem of the city is the small church of San Pietro (Peterköfele), which is also present in the city's coat of arms. 

ON THE ROAD: Situated between Auer/Ora and Montan/Montagna, the Castelfeder biotope, with its enchanting atmosphere and panoramic hilltop position, is a historic cultural site. It has hosted prehistoric, Roman, and early medieval settlements over the centuries. Remnants of the original structure, especially sections of the perimeter wall with the famous "Kuchelen", round arches originally designed for defense, and parts of St. Barbara’s Chapel, dating back to around the 6th century, have been preserved.

THE STAGE TASTE: Where pristine nature and lush pastures merge with the culture and passion for healthy eating, the best mountain flavors grace the tables of Valsugana. From polenta made with renowned Valsugana flour to the genuine small fruits of Sant'Orsola; from fine cured meats to local dairy products like the classic cheese of the Vezzena plateau. Also notable are honey, apples, Valsugana’s medicinal herbs, and the chestnuts of Roncegno Terme.

DON'T MISS: Novaledo, known for the formidable Tor Quadra fortification from the medieval era, is a town in Lower Valsugana with approximately 1,000 inhabitants. The community in the valley floor is part of the famous Valsugana cycle path following the Brenta river, complete with several rest stops and Bicigrill facilities.

FINISH: BORGO VALSUGANA. Crossed by the Brenta River and overlooked by the towering Castel Telvana, Borgo Valsugana boasts one of Trentino’s finest urban river landscapes. The town's center features the celebrated Valsugana cycle path, an 80-kilometer trail linking Lake Caldonazzo with Bassano del Grappa and Venice. Notable sites include the Parish Church of the Nativity of Mary, the interior of the former Spagolla Mill with its World War I exhibit, the Sella Valley, and the biennial of contemporary art.

TV DISTRIBUTION

Every day, 2 hours of Live broadcast will characterize 2024 Tour of the Alps, from 1.30 pm CET to 3.30 pm CET.

TV: Eurosport (Europe, Asia Pacific, Central America, South America), RaiSport (Italy, San Marino, Vatican City), Equipe TV (France, Monaco and Andorra), EITB (Spain), Flosports (USA, Canada, Australia), DirecTV (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Perù, Uruguay and Venezuela) and RTVC (Colombia).

SIDE EVENTS

Leifers/Laives
9.00 – 11.00 - Award ceremony of the bicycle painting competition of primary schools (Piazza Don Domenico Penner)
9.00 – 11.00 - Bike parkour organized by "Polisportiva Pineta" (Piazza Don Domenico Penner)
9.00 – 11.00 - Stand with local products organized by the Bäuerinnen (Piazza Don Domenico Penner)

Borgo Valsugana

9.00 – 13.00 - Cycling tour to the Lagorai in anticipation of the Tour of the Alps (a Levico, information and registration via Tourist Board Valsugana)
14.00 – 14.30 - Concert by the "Banda Civica di Borgo Valsugana" and "Palio della Brenta" (Piazza Degasperi)
12.00 – 15.00 - Bike parkour organized by "Veloce Club Borgo" (Piazza Dante)
14.45 - Final Sprint by "Veloce Club Borgo" (finish area)

WEATHER FORECAST:  For Tour of the Alps' stage 4, an overcast sky is expected both at the start in Leifers/Laives and at the finish in Borgo Valsugana.