La Farrapona (Spain) (AFP)
French climber David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) won the 11th stage of the Tour of Spain on Saturday atop the Alto de la Farrapona, his first success in a grand tour.
Thibaut Pinot's usual mountain lieutenant won the sprint against his last breakaway companion, the Spaniard Marc Soler.
He hangs on his record for the stage of this 75th Tour of Spain which had the most elevation gain (around 4,600 meters) ... without causing gaps among the contenders for the general classification, still dominated by the Slovenian Primoz Roglic.
The 24-year-old Breton pulled himself out of the peloton in the second ascent of the day, the Alto de la Colladona (7km at 6.5%), to join a large group of escaped riders in the descent.
Among the last runaways of the day, he was the only one capable of responding to the attack of Movistar climber Marc Soler, five kilometers from the finish.
The two men got along until the last 500 meters where the French, winner of the Tour de l'Avenir 2016 in front of a certain Egan Bernal, eclipsed Soler.
Appointed leader of Groupama-FDJ at the start of the Vuelta, and even more since Thibaut Pinot threw in the towel before the 3rd stage, David Gaudu signed the third success of his career.
Undoubtedly the most prestigious in front of his stage victories in the Tour de Romandie (2019) and the Tour de l'Ain 2017.
© 2020 AFP