BARCELONA, 1 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) won this Wednesday the first stage of the 74th Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, disputed between Orihuela and Altea over 189.4 kilometers, after a fast stage despite the two heights that the platoon.
Girmay made his debut in Valencia, being the first Eritrean to win in the Valencian round, and he did so by attacking from afar after gaining the best position in the final sprint, beating Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma).
Despite the fact that Mikel Landa’s Bahrain-Victorious took the initiative in the last kilometers of the peloton, Girmay finally imposed his strength despite the efforts of the Movistar Team, who made a ‘triplete’ from third to fifth with Iván García Cortina, José Joaquin Rojas and Alex Aranburu.
After spotting a highway to the left, Girmay opened up and passed Kooij and the Movistar Team train. Many, seeing the superiority of the Eritrean, gave up the attempt and it is that he came to have more than one bicycle margin over the Dutchman.
In the second stage, the Valencian round will leave Novelda and reach Alto de Pinos after 178.2 kilometres. A day in the mountains, with up to seven scoring mountain passes, with Cumbres del Sol (3.4 kilometers at 8.5 percent average gradient) as judge prior to the final climb, 13.6 kilometers at 2.6 percent. hundred and a final section of 3.2 kilometers at 7.2 of average slope.
