Álvar Martín and Manuel Sanroma, in the group that fights for the victory in a Circuito del Guadiana U19 with a big crashes
Álvar Martín and Manuel Sanroma, 18th and 26th, were the representatives of the U19 EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team in the leading group, thirty-one units, which faced the last kilometres of the U19 race of the 2023 edition of the Circuito del Guadiana, first race of the Copa de España of the category. The Argentinean Facundo Ambrossi (Saxum), with a few metres over the group after a late start, was the winner of a race that was marked by the two huge crashes that took place in the peloton near the climb to Magacela.
The first was the most serious, with many riders affected, and forced the race to be neutralised for more than 30 minutes on the first pass over the top of Magacela. Balazs Pollner, Samuel Flórez, Iván Polo and Balint Feldhoffer were some of the riders involved. Once the competition resumed, the two subsequent passes were providing selection and wear and tear in the development of the race, always with offensive protagonism there for Pablo Lospitao (Electromercantil) and with both Martín and Sanroma very attentive for the subsequent regroupings, supported by their teammates in race situations in which it was necessary to break down some dangerous movements.
From the last pass through Magacela, a small group of nine riders emerged in which Álvar Martín, among others, was riding. His attempt would end up being swallowed up by a chasing group at the gates of Don Benito.
“Manuel and I managed to save the first one, the fall came very far ahead, from the first fifteen riders”, explained Álvar in the finish area. “On the last pass through Magacela we went off in a small group, we made the wheel to consolidate the movement, but they ended up catching us from behind at the entrance to the city”. “The team did a sensational job in the last two laps”, added Sanroma.
Isaac Cantón, team director at the race: “The first race in the end went as we expected: with a lot of tension on the first day of competition with 200 riders. The two crashes that occurred in the first two laps ended up being identical. The team did a very good job, they did everything we asked of them and overall we have to be happy”.
