Before the start of the stage, Maximiliano Richeze received a guard of honor from his colleagues. After this Tour of San Juan, the 39-year-old Argentinian will call it a day as a cycling pro after an impressive career as a sprint pilot.
Richeze took care of the entire opening lap on the San Juan city ring, after which the race could really start in the second of seven laps.
A flight with the Czech Vacek (Trek) colored the ride, but no one in the front who ever thought they could avoid a bunch sprint.
Teammate Quinn Simmons and Remco Evenepoel had other plans. In the final lap the two of them took off, immediately all alarm bells went off in the peloton.
The two youngsters initially seemed to succeed in their aim, but in the penultimate kilometer they were still caught by Team DSM, which had its train on track in the best possible way.
What followed was a very chaotic final sprint. Mørkøv went from far, but Jakobsen did not follow. Nizzolo then paved the way for Welsford, who was fastest again. Jakobsen, who hit another spectator, came dangerously close, but was too stuck on the right side to really worry the Australian.
