Calpe (Spain) (AFP)
Already the big maneuvers! Challenging his reputation as a wait-and-see driver, Colombian Nairo Quintana (Movistar) on Sunday won the second stage of the Tour of Spain in Calpe (south-east), taking advantage of a coup that enabled the Irishman Nicolas Roche (Sunweb) to don the red jersey.
In a stage that, on paper, could have ended in a sprint in a small committee, the favorites were explained in the last climb of the day, placed 25 km from the finish. And a group of six strong including the Colombian Rigoberto Uran (Education First) and the Italian Fabio Aru (UAE Emirates) then detached under the leadership of Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma), trapping the wearer of the red jersey Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana), before Quintana escaped 3 km from goal to win alone.
An unexpected victory for the small Colombian climber (29 years old), winner of the 2016 Vuelta and more at ease at high altitude than on the tricky and rough roads of the Valencian Community. What a spell to his reputation as a conservative runner, stingy in great flight ...
"It's special, I've never won like that, it's a first," Quintana savored at the microphone of Spanish TV Teledeporte. "I needed it and the team too, we worked in good harmony and we did a great job."
- Song of departure -
This victory is a nice revenge for the Colombian, missed next to his Tour de France in July (8th) despite a stage victory in the last week in the Alps. That of the day, in Calpe, nevertheless has the airs of singing departure for Quintana, announced in the French formation Arkéa-Samsic next season, according to the press.
Meanwhile, the native of Tunja is already in a privileged position in the overall standings of the Vuelta, two seconds behind Nicolas Roche who took the red jersey taking the second place and the corresponding bonuses (6 sec). This is the second time the 35-year-old Irishman has donned the Vuelta leader's jersey after a day in red in 2013.
The Slovenian Roglic, trapped Saturday in a fall in the inaugural team time trial, for its part, made up much of its initial delay by taking the third place of the stage: 32 seconds of wins over Lopez and the other favorites, plus five seconds of bonuses. Here he is repositioned in 6th place overall, 36 seconds behind Roche and up to Lopez (5th to 33 seconds).
On Monday, the third stage (188 km) will lead the Ibi riders to Alicante (south-east), with a more rolling course that could finally smile to the sprinters. But in this Vuelta so unpredictable, who knows what will be the scenario?
© 2019 AFP