Slovenian rider Primoz Roglic of Jumbo-Visma team, sprints at the finish line of the fourth stage of the Vuelta cycling race between Vitoria-Gasteiz and Laguardia, in Spain, Aug 23, 2022. (MIGUEL OSES / AP)

MADRID - Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) showed why he was the pre-race favorite in the Vuelta a Espana as he won the fourth stage and also went into the overall lead on Tuesday.

Roglic was the strongest rider on the short but sharp climb to the finish in the picturesque town of Laguardia, finishing around five meters ahead of Mads Pederson (Trek-Segafredo) and Enric Mas (Movistar) third.

Time bonuses give Roglic a 13-second lead in the overall standings over his team-mate Sepp Kuss, while Ethan Haytor (INEOS-Grenadiers) 26 seconds behind in third

Time bonuses give Roglic a 13-second lead in the overall standings over his team-mate Sepp Kuss, while Ethan Haytor (INEOS-Grenadiers) 26 seconds behind in third.

Perhaps more importantly, he is also 33 seconds ahead of Ricardo Carapaz (INEOS) and 51 seconds in front of 2018 winner Simon Yates (Team Bike Exchange-Jayco).

"It's just the beginning of the race, but it's always better to be a few seconds in front that a few seconds behind," said Roglic after the finish.

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Slovenian rider Primoz Roglic of Jumbo-Visma team, celebrates after winning the fourth stage of the Vuelta cycling race between Vitoria-Gasteiz and Laguardia, in Spain, Aug 23, 2022. (MIGUEL OSES / AP)

The 152.5 kilometers between Vitoria and Laguardia may have only contained one second and one third category climb, but after a relatively flat opening 60 kilometers, the rest of the stage was a rollercoaster of up and down terrain.

As expected, a six-man breakaway got away from the main peloton with relative ease and was able to open a lead of over three minutes before the main peloton got to work reeling them in.

The rolling terrain saw some attacks in the closing kilometers, but with Jumbo-Visma and INEOS-Grenadiers working hard to control the race, the group arrived at the foot of the climb into Laguardia together, where Roglic laid down his law.

"It was really fast all stage, but I saw the chance to fight for the win and I went for it," he told Spanish TV network RTVE.

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Wednesday's fifth stage remains in the Basque region with another hilly stage between Irun and Bilbao.