Alejandro Ropero, fifth in a Vuelta a Valencia where Polartec-Kometa is the best team of the last stage

VIII Vuelta a Valencia
Stage 4: Moncada-Moncada (123 km)

This Sunday concluded the Vuelta a la Provincia de Valencia with a stage of 123 kilometers that was resolved with victory for Jaume Sureda (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), the fastest in an escape of ten riders where the Polartec-Kometa had the double presence of the always active Daniele Cantoni and Jorge Pastor. The final general of the Vuelta, based on the demanding second stage, corresponded to the Russian Savva Novikov (Lokosphinkx). A general in which Alejandro Ropero finished in the fifth final position.

The last stage of the Valencian round was again disputed at a very high speed (the winner scored an average over 45 km/h) and was marked by a multitude of unsuccessful break attempts. It wasn’t until the race entered its last thirty kilometres that the escape of ten runners was consolidated.

With a margin of one minute, well supported by the collaboration of its members despite the work behind the Lizarte team, would end up playing the partial victory. Sureda was the fastest and proved it. Cantoni finished in seventh position and Pastor in ninth. The main group finishes at 21 seconds. But the Polartec-Kometa, thanks to the contribution of its two climbers in the breakaway, was imposed by squads in a stage of flat profile.

“It was very complicated, because in that breakaway there were some very fast riders, but both I and Jorge have given everything to try to win. In my case it was the last race of the season and we had to try to finish the year well. The truth is that my legs weren’t very fine, but my head was and I squeezed myself to the maximum”, says Daniele Cantoni with a smile, questioned about this conversion from climber to sprinter.

“It was a pity that we didn’t have José Antonio, because I’m sure he would have done great,” speculates Alejandro Ropero, fifth overall in the final. “I’m happy for the position, I like to have entered among the top five, but each time I demand more. We are still fighting. We still have Galicia and we have to do well”.

Eighth in the overall final concluded Carlos García Pierna, who also tried it during this last stage. “In the time trial I gave everything and it started as it did and today I have tried it several times in the circuit, but it was very flat and it was impossible for me to escape. You have to be happy. And to continue learning in each race, step by step”.

(automatic translation, sorry for mistakes)