Eleazar Jiménez 10th in Mieres maintains his second place in the general classification
The second stage of the Vuelta a la Montaña Central welcomed the mountains with the ascents of Santirso (3rd) and Santo Emiliano (2nd). After 112 kilometres with a great battle Eleazar Jiménez finished in 10th position accompanied by José Miguel Moreira (18th) in a reduced group of 19 riders.
The stage with start in Figaredo and finish in the town of Mieres was very similar to the first day of the race. The bunch rode fast, but controlled at all times by the teams that wanted to compete for the classification of the intermediate sprints. The team’s riders let things go, but always maintained a position at the front of the group. In one of the attacks in the main group, Iván Loaisa reacted and was able to form a breakaway, first of two riders and later joined by two more. Loaisa started the most demanding part of the stage leading the race with his breakaway companions, but they were neutralised on the Santirso ramps (3rd). Several riders from the team finished the climb among the first units of the bunch.
It was during the descent that the race broke up leaving Jiménez and Moreira in the lead of the race in a group of about twenty riders. In the short zone connecting Santirso with the climb to Santo Emiliano (2nd) one of the Belgian riders attacked and managed to open a lead of 30″. Moreira set the pace in the main group to preserve Jiménez’s chances. Once the leading rider was neutralised, three riders attacked and managed to open a gap. They were caught in the last kilometre of the stage and the stage was decided by a sprint. Jiménez finished 10th at 2″, with Moreira 18th.
In the general classification Eleazar Jimenez keeps the second position, 2″ behind the leader of the race.
Isaac Cantón was positive about the attitude of the team’s cyclists during the stage, despite being “against the ropes”. The team managed to “save the day”.
Eleazar Jiménez fought with Moreira on the last climb of the day and ultimately made it to the front group: “It was a tough stage. We knew that the favourites were going to move and we had to try to control the race. We went up the first climb too fast to control and on the second, which was harder, Loaisa and Diaz set the pace. Moreira did a brutal job as well. When Álvarez, Pericas and Pombo attacked, one kilometre from the top, I decided to set my own pace so as not to explode and I climbed with the leader. On the descent with Moreira and the Belgian team we managed to link up with them. We saved the day and I hope to continue fighting for the general classification”.
