Fran Muñoz and David Domínguez, in the fight for a Clásica de Torredonjimeno that once again changes the cup leader
XXXVIII Clásica Ciudad de Torredonjimeno / Copa de España
Torredonjimeno – Torredonjimeno (165 km)
Fran Muñoz from Barcelona finished tenth this Sunday in a new edition of the Clásica de Torredonjimeno in which the final victory went to the Russian Ilia Schegolkov (CC Catalunya-Barcelona), the fastest in a small group of nine riders that faced the last straight. David Domínguez, also from Barcelona, finished twelfth. Two results that feed the leadership of EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team in the overall team standings of the Cup.
A numerous breakaway, almost twenty riders, with quite a few teams represented, ended up winning the race in Jaén. The movement was made after the mountainous chain of Locubín and Valdepeñas, climbs in which the peloton was selected a lot but in which there were no strategies of the men in the general classification. In that breakaway there were some names involved in the Cup, and among them from the EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team U23 both Domínguez and Muñoz. In a spiral of attacks in the last kilometres the breakaway was further selected, the ‘breakaway of the breakaway’. Muñoz and Domínguez were present in this movement, although towards the finish line the former gave up ten seconds.
Almost three minutes behind, swallowing up some of the stragglers along the way, a ‘main’ peloton arrived at the finish line with Andrea Pietrobon, Arnau Gilabert and Ramón Fernández. Pietrobon lost the championship lead to Mikel Retegi (Lizarte), with Andoni López de Abetxuko (Caja Rural) in command of the elite general classification. Pietrobon remains third, while Fran Muñoz is fifth.
David Domínguez: “I had already competed in the Clásica de Torredonjimeno in 2019 and 2021 and it’s a race with a very, very hard final 70 kilometres that suited us very well. Both Fran and I were able to get through the climbs among a selection of eighteen riders and then hold on in the hard climbs in the last stretch to arrive with options to play for the race. The finish was demanding, with practically the whole of the final kilometre going uphill. We lacked the strength to be able to finish and compete in the sprint in conditions, but anyway I’m very happy with the performance in my first race of the year in Spain. I’m looking forward to continue progressing and helping the team as much as possible”.
[📷 Clásica de Torredonjimeno (1) / Ayuntamiento de Torredonjimeno (2, 4)]
