Fernando Tercero and David Domínguez, ninth and tenth overall at Isard after a final stage with David and Arnau Gilabert in the breakaway

45º Ronde de l’Isard
Stage 5: Laroque d´Olmes – Saint-Girons (153,5 km)

The Ronde de l’Isard 2022 closed this Sunday with its usual marathon stage through the Ariege, a stage with the chained Lers, Agnes and Latrape that on this occasion was the scene of battle of a very numerous breakaway, up to forty units at the start of the first one, in which there were more uncertainties for the stage than for the general classification. It is true that in that breakaway there were well classified riders, such as the Frenchman Mathys Rondel or David Domínguez, but the rents left by the first stage were substantial and Jumbo-Visma managed this section well without going into episodes of madness or anxiety. The leader did the rest with the offensives that came, especially on the Col de Latrape.

Among the forty, three riders from the Foundation’s U23 team. Antonio González, Arnau Gilabert and David Domínguez managed to catch the good breakaway that Ramón Fernández had also tried so hard to catch some kilometres before, but without such good luck. In the breakaway, the passage through the passes provoked a great selection. Lenny Martínez (FDJ) and Mathys Rondel (Pays de Loudeac) broke away on the Col d’Agnes and rode together until the end. Behind, in different chase sequences both Arnau Gilabert and David Dominguez stayed in the fight. Gilabert finished 14th at the finish, while David finished 16th.

With the arrival of the leader’s peloton almost three and a half minutes behind, Rondel made a small comeback in the final provisional classification. Fernando Tercero dropped to ninth place, while David Domínguez remained in tenth. “I’m happy to have managed to finish in the top ten, especially because of the high level of the race. Today, another tough stage, I didn’t have the best legs, but I was able to manage the day well and to make it”, explained Domínguez.

[ Corentin Richard / Ronde de l’Isard ]