Fernando Tercero climbs four places in the general standings after a coup on the road to Taboada in which he finishes second
XX Volta a Galicia
Stage 2: Taboada – Taboada (163,3 km)
La Mancha rider Fernando Tercero climbed four positions in the provisional general classification, jumping from ninth to fifth position, after a thrilling second stage of the Volta a Galicia in which the Ribeira Sacra in Lugo shone with its own light and in which the U23 structure of the Contador Foundation deployed a great work in the peloton to reduce the advantage of a breakaway and harden the race in the last pass of the day, where came very interesting movements. Third finished second, behind Edgar Mesa, recent winner of the Vuelta a Salamanca and winner this Friday of the Galician fraction.
A breakaway of four riders (Alvaro Carasa, Rias Baixas; Alejandro Gómiz, Froiz; Fran Rus, Cortizo; and Ivan Smirnov, Club Ciclista Barcelona) managed to consolidate at the front of the race after a dizzying start with many movements and many alternatives. The quartet achieved a lead of more than four minutes with the race entering its last 60 kilometres. At that point the U23 structure of the Contador Foundation went to work with great intensity, a commendable work that practically demolished the breakaway on the ascent to San Pedro Líncora.
On the climb, with impressive scenery, with only the Russian Smirnov slightly ahead, both Arnau Gilabert and Marcel Camprubí left the main group and caught up with the Russian, provisionally forming a leading trio around which would pivot a regrouping in which the leader Alex White (Cocinas Lasal) was not included. From the resulting group, on the verge of the summit, the Mexican Edgar Mesa (Telco’m) and the American Barri Miller (Rias Baixas) moved up to third.
The three of them consolidated a breakaway in the last ten kilometres and managed to reach the finish line with a dozen seconds over a first chasing group that did not include the still leader, but Arnau Gilabert (10th) and Marcel Camprubí (18th). The New Zealander White arrived at 1’24”, managing to retain the leader’s yellow jersey, although his advantage is diminished in the run-up to what will be the queen stage, this Saturday, finishing in Manzaneda Estación de Montaña. A very hard stage, with two long climbs such as A Portela and the final ascent to the winter sports centre of the Macizo Galaico.
Fernando Tercero: “The truth is that we would have liked to finish off the work that the team has done today with a victory here, but second place is not bad either and it leaves us in a good place for Saturday. Let’s see what happens in the queen stage. The breakaway of the first day, as we saw, took a lot of time and we were aware that we had to hurt the leader from now on, we had to start cutting time on him. In this sense, the day left us quite satisfied. This Saturday comes a very tough stage that will also be nervous because it’s a short stage. I think there will be a battle right from the start and the climb to the Alto da Portela will already be a selection. We will have to be very attentive. Manzaneda, with its length and its hardness, will put everyone in their place. In the end, in any case, this is Galicia and there is no easy stage here, as we have seen on the first two days. Tomorrow is tomorrow and Sunday, for whoever is leading, it won’t be an easy day either”.
[📷 Álvaro García / Federación Gallega de Ciclismo]
