Ropero falls to second place in the general standings in Galicia after a day marked by intense rain

XVIII Volta Ciclista a Galicia
Stage 3: Teixeiro – Curtis (151 km)

One of the distinguishing features of cycling is its exposure to climatic factors. To the harshness of the routes and the management of the efforts between the contenders, the uncontrollable addition of time. Sometimes the suffocating heat, other times the polar cold; sometimes the wind; and of course the rain. This Saturday offered a great example on the Galician roads, with a third stage of the Volta a Galicia in which the water did not abandon the pack at any time. A terrible stage where the Kometa Cycling Team did a formidable job. A tremendous day in the rain in which Alejandro Ropero lost the provisional leadership of a race in which he descended to second place, 27 seconds from the new yellow jersey.

In Curtis, Martí Márquez dressed as leader. The Lizarte rider reached the finish line in the company of Roberto Mediero and Jacobo Ucha, both from the Club Ciclista Vigués, after passing the attack on the ramps of Alto de Queimada. It was predicted that the second pass through this mountain would be definitive given its proximity to the Main Avenue and so it was. In its ramps, reached with the team under 23 of the Alberto Contador Foundation keeping control, unleashed hostilities the men of Aluminios Cortizo and took the witness of the Club Ciclista Vigués. Movements that slimmed the group cabero up to a score of units where the leader rolled with his partner Fancellu. Sergio García, Álex Martín or Yago Segovia had been attentive before to some of the main difficulties that the development of the stage brought.

Márquez, Mediero and Ucha achieved thirty seconds of margin, enough for the fight for a partial success that, given Márquez’s qualifying interests, went to Mediero’s bag. Ropero and Fancellu reached the finish line within the first chasing group by the Kometa Cycling Team. In a general with ten cyclists separated by just a few seconds, any offensive could bring changes. And so it happened. The leader was changing his back again, but still with room for recovery. “We were aware of the difficulty of the day. We have worked hard and well, carrying the weight in many bars, surprisingly without any collaboration from other formations that could also do the race. It has been a horrible day in the climatology that in the end has had ten kilometers more. There is still a lot of race, with a very hard last day that can give a lot of game,” says director Rafa Díaz Justo.

“It has been a very hard day, the whole race has been played under the rain. Unfortunately we have lost the lead, but there is still some ground to recover it. In the arrival of this Sunday anything can happen,” says an Alessandro Fancellu who is in fifth place in the standings, 31 seconds from the lead. The Italian is not without reason. The Volta a Galicia concludes this Sunday with its queen stage, 130.5 kilometres that will depart from Viveiro and return to this town in the Mariña Lucense to face the demanding arrival at Monte San Roque and its almost four kilometres at 9%.

(automatic translation, sorry for mistakes)

📸 Volta a Galicia