Fancellu is postulated as the best Kometa in the GC after a day of the Golobar in which Martín shines

52ª Vuelta Ciclista a Palencia
Stage 3: Salinas de Pisuerga – Refugio del Golobar (99,3 km)

Short stage with several chained climbs and final in one of the iconic ascents of amateur cycling. In the Golobar, 14 kilometres at almost 6%, finally cut into four, the leader from Álava, Oier Lazkano (Caja Rural), reinforced his leadership, while the Italian Alessandro Fancellu, fourth, consolidated himself as the best rider of the Kometa Cycling Team, ascending to fourth place in a general classification in which he is 1:29 from the Basque guy. A day of adverse and unpleasant weather, where the wind and rain were almost more protagonists than the sun.

This third stage of the Vuelta a Palencia, less than 100 kilometers of route and strong storms (including hail) in the early stages of its beginnings, was a great fight in which the U23 team of the Alberto Contador Foundation got involved from minute 1. Spare parts of an early breakdown of Carlos García in his rear wheel, the team sought to have presence in the forefront at all times. And it did it.

First was the always effective Joan Martí Bennassar, a member of an escape of six cyclists who achieved half a minute of margin. Then Alessandro Fancellu himself and Alejandro Ropero, who would crown in first position the first two ascents programmed in the stage, the Alto de Santullán and the Collado de Salcedillo.

Álex Martín, riding with eleven other riders who never managed to open much space, but maintained a great pulse with a platoon where the Norwegian Dare and the leader’s Caja Rural carried much of the weight. Fifteen kilometres from the end, the advantage between the head of the race and the pack remained at 20 seconds.

Already in the Golobar climb, Martin would be in charge of tensing the race and stand out with a few seconds of advantage with Eduard Rodes and Alex Jaime over his runaway teammates and the first units of a very broken platoon where Alejandro Ropero was demarraba. This perseverance earned the Catalan the consideration of the most combative rider of the day.

In the ascent the fortresses of Lazkano and the Norwegian Magnus Brynsrud would be imposed, who amassed about fifteen seconds on a first small group in which Fancellu was riding. Carlos García, for his part, rolled further back and finished eleventh, 1:35 of the winner.

(automatic translation, sorry for mistakes)

📸 @MarcosRojo93