Albanese finishes third on the Alto del Castillo, the end of a stage with Sergio and Márton in the lead
43ª Vuelta a Burgos
Stage 1: Burgos – Burgos (161 km)
Great result for Vincenzo Albanese. The Italian finished third in the opening stage of the Vuelta a Burgos, with the finish at the Alto del Castillo. Albanese, very well positioned in the final part, faced the slopes of the last kilometre, where positioning is key, among the first ten and little by little he went up. The sprint was won by Belgian Edward Planckaert, the first leader of a general classification in which Albanese is also third.
Alba’s performance, his best place of the 2021 season, in a day in which the EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team also had its share of protagonism thanks to the breakaways. Sergio García was a particularly active name in this area on a day where the wind made an appearance and broke the peloton for many kilometres.
Outside his natural ecosystem of the mountains, Garcia faced a day racing in the vanguard. First, in a sextet that also included Hungarian Márton Dina. Then, after the neutralisation of that breakaway by a group of 37 riders, in a second breakaway of ten riders in the final kilometres. Garcia would look for his rhythm on the first climb to the castle hill, where the breakaway was selected while the peloton was riding at about thirty seconds and began to mature its imminent hunt.
Sergio García: “We aimed to be in every move that could happen from the start. There was an acceleration in the early stages and both Marton and I took it. The bunch let us do it and we were able to get a good time gap. But then there were fans behind us, the bunch split and the race had some crazy moments. Our breakaway was over, but then new movements started to happen and I saw that I had the legs to stay there. It was a very interesting group of ten, with some very good riders. On the first climb to the castle the peloton was already close and I was already quite empty. We fought until the end”.
Vincenzo Albanese: “Positioning was key on the final climb. Gavazzi won here a few years ago and it was an aspect that we had emphasised. The team, who were in the breakaway, were also very good at the back, protecting me, even when the race broke up and it seemed that the outcome would be different. I was able to get a good position in the last kilometres and to have a good position at the end. I was a bit short to be able to take the lead, but I’m happy with this third position. Victory is getting closer and closer”.
This Wednesday, 175 kilometres between Tardajos and Briviesca. A stage without major orographic difficulties in the route and in which it is very likely that a similar development to that of this Tuesday will be repeated. A sprint finish is not out of the question.
[ PhotoGomezSport]
