It's really hot at the top of Pico Villuercas. And perhaps it was precisely the Spanish furnace that transformed the first uphill finish of the Vuelta into an ordeal.The sudden lapses of big names like Yates, Kuss, Rodriguez, and Carapaz suggest that it wasn't just the climb, which was certainly impressive. Fourteen and a half kilometers, with a sprint from the tenth to the thirteenth with gradients ranging from 11,8 to 14,6 percent. A straight road paved with concrete for tractors, a shortcut to avoid the extra kilometers of the main road. And up at the top, even as the final stretch leveled out to a milder 7,6 percent, old Roglic explained the rules of cycling to the young Van Eetvelt. Like cat and mouse. The Belgian had practically won and he was so happy that he raised his arm, the very moment the Slovenian gave the hip thrust, overcoming it.
«When you are among young people – says Van Eetvelt – you learn that you have to keep sprinting all the way to the finish line. I wasn't entirely sure I'd won. I didn't hear Roglic coming, and I thought I'd done it. It wasn't like that. I have mixed feelings. On the one hand I am very satisfied with the shape which allows me to fight for the stage win. The last few months haven't been easy because I've been battling a knee injury, so I'm happy. At the same time I also feel stupid, but there will still be opportunities."
Tiberius in white
On the sidelines of the regrettable naivety, Van Eetvelt said he was disappointed not to have taken the white jersey, which would have been a privilege. In fact, he took that one by virtue of the time trial and today's placing. our Antonio Tiberi, already best young player of the Tour of Italy.
«I'm really happy and proud of today's stage – says the Italian rider from Team Bahrain Victorious – and since we didn't expect to do so well, Throughout the day we worked with the team to stay sheltered and cool, even using ice and water.We did a great job, even though it was a super tough stage due to the pace set by Red Bull and the heat. It was a super steep climb, not one I like, but I went as hard as I could.. And maybe I was a little surprised too, since normally in the first week of a Grand Tour I always need more time to get into the rhythm. Here at Return It's a little different. I've been feeling really good since the beginning, so I hope to continue like this.I'm super happy to have worn the white jersey, it gives me a lot of morale to continue like this."
His Majesty of the Vuelta
His Majesty of the Vuelta, having already won three, has taken back the red jersey. Roglic says he didn't expect to win the stage and that maybe it wasn't even in his plans, but throughout the day he seemed exceptionally calm and in control. Although Enric Mas gave the impression of being very comfortable for a long time, The Slovenian struck with the ferocity of a sniper. And after the change of team, the withdrawal from the Basque Country after the fall in which however he did not suffer any damage and the withdrawal from the Tour with much more consequences, he finally found a way to smile.
“Winning a stage wasn’t the main goal today,” he says, “but when you see your teammates working so hard in the heat, I’m happy I managed to finish it. I certainly didn't ask to do that job on my head.If you'd asked me, I'd have said it wasn't necessary. It was a tough climb, very steep. After my withdrawal from the Tour, I'm still recovering. After many hours on the bike I felt my back giving me problemsLet's hope the situation doesn't get worse in the next few days. I've continued to live with it day after day. So now I try to enjoy this stage victory, because at my age you never know when it will be the last one.».
Sly Almeida
The outgoing winner Sepp kuss He said he was satisfied with the deficit of only 28 seconds behind his former captain, who was waiting for the winner up here. He says he didn't have the best feelings, because the heat was harsh. and at the beginning of the last climb the group was still numerous and there was a lot of nervousness. The one who saved himself very well (unlike his teammate Adam Yates) was the usual Almeida, which breaks away on the shots and then comes back in its own way.
«It was a very, very hot day – says the Portuguese – right from the start. I think it probably broke some temperature recordsThe team did a great job with water bottles and ice to keep us cool and hydrated. And when we got to the last climb, we were in perfect position, but we realized that it was really hardI found myself with pretty good legs and somehow made it to the finish line third. It was a positive day for me, so let's keep the ball rolling and hopefully we can do better.I hope Adam (Yates, who finished 1'29”, ed.) will be better tomorrow, so that he can get better results and feel better soon."
Van Aert left the red jersey to his former teammate Roglic, reaching the finish line 16'44” late, happy all in all that the glory went to my friend who has his own account to settle with bad luck. Tomorrow we'll arrive quickly in Sevilla, but the day after that we'll start climbing again. The Vuelta has begun. And even if patron Guillen he says that the heat will not be a determining factor, what was seen today at 1.526 metres above sea level has in fact caused some concernsa
