Álex Martín once again excels in an extremely demanding day with a very steep climb and a finish at an altitude of 2,000 metres
57º Giro Ciclístico della Valle d´Aosta
Etapa 2: Valtournenche – Breuil Cervinia (158,4 km)
Álex Martín once again excelled this Saturday in the queen stage of the Giro del Valle d’Aosta, a day of extreme hardness with a finish in Cervinia, at the foot of the aesthetic Matterhorn, and with four other mountain passes on the route, each one more demanding than the last. More than 4,000 metres of accumulated elevation gain where the last word did not come down to strategy or mental strength, but to the legs.
The stage was won by Italian Gianmarco Garofoli after a tremendous solo gallop, while New Zealander Reuben Thompson, fourth, moved up to the race lead. Martin, meanwhile, finished in thirteenth place, just over six minutes behind. In the general standings, Martín is in seventh place, 5’29” behind the leader.
#GiroVda2021. ¡Vaya etapa en el @GiroVdA! ¡Cuánta dureza! De nuevo gran actuación de Álex Martín, que llegó entre los primeros de la jornada. También acabó Fernando Tercero, al que vemos entrar en meta. #EOLOKOMETACyclingTeam #EquipoSub23 #FormandoCiclistas #WhereLegendsAreBorn pic.twitter.com/h6LQKv2dte
— FundContadorTeam (@FundContaTeam) July 17, 2021
Fernando Tercero also went from strength to strength. The rider from La Mancha was involved in a crash on the short descent of the Col d’Arlaz, which forced him to change bikes and to work hard to return to the discipline of the leader’s group on the ascent to the Col Tsecore. Andrea Montoli and Álvaro García retired during the day.
Álex Martín: “It was a very tough stage, a stage of pure survival from the first kilometre. But at the same time I really enjoyed it, because this is real cycling. This is the hardest stage I’ve ever done since I’ve been cycling”.
This Sunday, the race reaches its end with a final 149-kilometre stage connecting Fénis with the winter sports centre of Valnontey, near Cogne. A high finish to decide everything that remains to be decided, which will be accompanied beforehand by three other climbs. In the Aosta Valley there is no room for respite.
