Carlos García emerges in the general classification on a day of misfortune
Vuelta a Navarra
Stage 3: Lizarte-Museo Oteiza (141 km)
Complex day for the Polartec-Kometa under23 in Navarra. In the complicated third stage, the final stage of the slope at the Oteiza Museum, three passes through a one-kilometre stretch of sterrato, a multitude of paving blocks and even cobbled slopes within urban centres with significant narrowing, in this stage, the young Carlos García became the team’s best asset in the general classification. The Spaniard is ninth, 20 seconds behind the new leader of the race, the Frenchman Florent Castellarnau (Aix Provence).
Castellarnau was the winner of the demanding third stage of the round in Navarra. A stage in which the breakaway triumphed. Castellarnau was present at all those who were in the vanguard since the frantic start of the day. 29 seconds away from the ninth Frenchman and involved in the row of runners who reached the finish line after the winner, Carlos Garcia entered. The Galician Alejandro Regueiro finished 26th, 50 seconds behind. At almost a minute and a half (1:27), in 47th place, the Dutchman Wesley Mol concluded. Daniel Viegas was left over two minutes and almost three minutes until this Friday’s best’Polartec-Kometa’ in the general standings, the Spaniard Joan Martí Benassar.
In a day with many crashes, incidents that even forced the abandonment of today’s leader, José Daniel Viejo, the worst news was the forced withdrawal of José Antonio García and Sergio Hernández. Garcia was involved in the “montonera” that took place at kilometer 28. Re-done as he could, when he was fighting to get back in the pack, a puncture stopped him again. Off the hook, he ended up being taken out of the race by the judges for a matter of time.
“It’s been a very difficult day and we lost two riders on top of that. In the case of Joselillo, we have lost his advantage for the sprint finishers. It just so happens he’s gone to the ground. Viegas has stayed with him to get him back into the platoon. Everything was perfect and when he entered a narrow road he had a flat tire. Normally in these early breakdowns the judges leave a little room for maneuvering, but in this case neither we nor the leader’s team nor several other riders, six or seven, have been given any. And this, coupled with a new policy of reducing time for the out of control, meant that by the time they got out of control, they were out of the race. Then we had another very tense moment with Carlos, with whom we had to make a bike change at a bad time. But Carlos has done very well in the stage and we have the option of doing a good job with him in the general classification and on the last day to play the trick of the breakaways”, explains a disappointed Rafa Díaz Justo.
This Saturday will be the fourth stage of the Tour of Navarre, considered the queen and with seven scoring ports on a track that touches the Pyrenees. From Sarriguren to Alto de Muskilda, between the Egües Valley and the Ochagavia Valley, 130.3 kilometres with two first category mountain bpass, three of second and two of third.
(automatic translation, sorry for mistakes)
