José Antonio García puts the icing on the cake for a great Polartec-Kometa job
47 Vuelta Ciclista a Salamanca
Stage 2: Sardón de los Frailes – Retortillo (148 km)
The Spaniard José Antonio García confirmed his great form by conquering the second stage of the Vuelta a Salamanca on Friday afternoon. The Andalusian rider, in his fifth win of the season, imposed his top speed in the group that reached the end of this second day together. Antonio Soto (Lizarte) from Murcia is still in front of the general classification, while Alejandro Ropero, the leader of the U21 general classification, has risen to fifth place in the provisional standings.
A very demanding second stage, held under high temperatures and exposed in some stretches to strong gusts of wind, a second stage completed at a very high average speed of over 42 km/h was marked by a flight of illustrious people in which Alejandro Ropero, with a great pedal blow this August, was the protagonist.
The breakaway came to run with just over two and a half minutes, but was eventually neutralized within the last ten kilometers, a frenetic end where the leading group suffered a couple of crashes. In the sprint, Joselillo beat Eloy Teruel, Leangel Linarez, Alejandro Gomiz or the leader Antonio Soto himself. A victory based on the preparations of the Polartec-Kometa U23.
“This is a victory for the whole team because they have made it so much easier,” said García. “We were rolling a little backwards, when Lizarte and Kuota were pulling and there were some attacks on our heads. We risked a little to gain positions and already in the last kilometre the teammates started to shoot and left it to me in the air. Daniele and Viegas left it to me with 200 metres to go; it was to launch the sprint and win easily. They have done it in a spectacular way”.
“When you win it’s always very nice, but the truth is that today it’s been like that”, explains the director Rafa Díaz Justo. “The initial breakaway was very interesting, with very good people, perhaps a little hasty because it came from far away from the finish line, but there were some very good riders in it. The main objective was to punish Lizarte, a very fit team. The best thing would have been if Alejandro hadn’t been on the run, because he is our best asset for the general standings along with Carlos García and Jorge Pastor, especially in view of this Saturday. But that’s how the race went”.
“Looking ahead to the finish line, I was already thinking that we would take over the race, because José Antonio has shown us that he has a chance to win on different terrains. This Friday was a great victory in a very complicated volata, a real gymkhana with a dangerous descent and a narrow pass through the village. And he’s won on a margin bike. It’s a victory worth two, very high level, a success for everyone,” he adds.
This Saturday, the main stage of the Helmtica round will take place, 130 kilometres between Ledrada and Guijuelo, with a lot of broken terrain and, among the five planned, three climbs, which are second place: Casas del Conde, Valero and Los Santos.
(automatic translation, sorry for mistakes)
📸 El Pelotón
