Mas de la Costa (Spain) (AFP)
Spanish veteran Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) won a victory at Mas de la Costa on Friday during the 7th stage of the Tour of Spain, marked by the return of Miguel Ángel López's general (Astana).
Some passes, 183 kilometers and, at the end, a wall: the Alto Mas de la Costa. It is there, for four kilometers to more than 12% of average, that the four favorites to the final victory chose to measure themselves.
And if the Colombian Movistar Nairo Quintana, who first and most often placed attacks, his teammate, 39-year-old world champion Valverde, won. Up there, the Spaniard was stronger than the Slovenian Primo? Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) and Miguel Ángel López, new leader of the event.
"Superman" Lopez, as the Colombian is nicknamed, recovers the leader's red jersey, which he had already worn during the 6th stage on Thursday before lending it, for a day, to Belgian Dylan Teuns (Bahrain), distanced Friday.
The course between Onda and Mas de la Costa also saw the abandonment of the American Tejay Van Garderen (Education First), victim of a fall the day before.
© 2019 AFP