Long breakaway and a top result after the team work in Almagro
With a gentler final than the previous day, the under 23 team started the stage with a clear idea: try to win with Tommaso Bessega. After a long breakaway with Pablo García, Bessega got a 9th place on the sprint and a 5th on the general classification.
The stage with 164 kilometres and two mountain passes started at 10 o’clock with different breakaway attempts. The first point of interest was the Alto de Huertezuelas (2nd category). On the climb the team set a strong pace that caused the leader of the race to be cut off from the big group while Pablo García reached the top in fourth place.
After the climb, the biggest breakaway of the day was formed, where García was placed after a great level on the climb. Together with 5 other riders, they managed to open up a gap over the bunch and archive an advantage that reached two and a half minutes. Finally, the work of the leader’s team brought the bunch together with 30 kilometres to go. At 16 kilometres from the finish line, the second and last pass of the day, the 4th category Alto de la Garganta, was crowned.
The teams of the fastest riders controlled the attempts of late attacks before a finish that, as expected, was resolved by a sprint. Tommaso Bessega finished 9th, which helped him to be 5th in the overall classification of the race.
Rafael Diaz Justo, under 23 team sports director: “the team was very good today, we worked a lot. Pablo was on the break and the fast guys on the main bunch. In the end it was a pity that we had a mechanic problem with Tommaso and Racagni´s bikes”:
Tommaso Bessega: “given that it was the first race of the season I can consider myself happy with the result, this fifth place gave me even more desire to win”
Pablo García:”the feeling was good, I was able to be where I was asked to be to safeguard Tomi’s (Tommaso) chances in the sprint. We were two minutes ahead and I thought it would be my turn to fight, but the bunch was well organised behind and there was a lot of very favourable terrain. Also, at the front there was no agreement between us”.
Photo: Alvaro García
