Eleazar Jimenez 6th in the last stage and overall in Loulé
Bad luck again marked the result of the race for the junior team in the Volta ao concelho de Loulé. Santiago Basso was the best situated rider of the team in the general classification and had to retire due to a fall. Eleazar Jimenez with a great sixth place in the stage improved his position in the overall classification to finish 6th.
The stage started with a brave move by 11 riders including both Santiago Basso and Eleazar Jimenez. The attack reached a minute’s lead, but the work of the leader’s team brought the bunch back together. Bad luck struck the team again, first with a mechanical problem for Pablo Leno and then a crash for Basso.
The team tried to recover and Ivan Loaisa took parte in a new breakaway of five riders. The breakaway exceeded two minutes and was caught just two kilometres from the finish line. A group of 15 riders fought for the win on the sprint with Jimenez finishing 6th and Loaisa 10th. Eleazar Jimenez was affected by a fall yesterday in the last meters of the individual time trial and could not get a higher result in the general classification.
“The work they have done has been very good, although perhaps the result is not reflected in the classification. Cycling is not always fair, but from first to last they have done a great race where we have fought one on one with the best”, said Isaac Canton at the end of the last stage and the first international outing for the junior team this season.
Pablo Leno: “Today the feeling was very good, but when the race started to break up, I had to change the bike. In general, every day of the race I’ve been feeling better, finishing with a very good feeling”.
Eleazar Jimenez: “It was a very tough stage with a constant up and down. We wanted to fight for the overall with Santiago. We were in a front group trying to break the race, but he suffered a crash that made everything change and we had to follow another strategy. I felt I had very good legs and with Ivan in front I was able to recover after the attempt at the beginning. In the sprint I was not well placed, but it helped me to climb positions in the general classification. I’m angry about the crash yesterday because I could have been on the overall podium. The feeling was good, but the taste is bittersweet”.
