The double Tour champion began to win the stage in San Pedro de Líncora
23 feb 2024 . Updated at 8:51 p.m.
Danish runner Jonas Vingegaard (Visma) took a giant step in the 151-kilometer Taboada-Chantada stage to win O Gran Camiño. The double Tour de France champion gave an authentic exhibition in the last kilometers of the stage, in the last ascent to Alto de San Pedro de Líncora, where he overtook the Colombian cyclist Egan Bernal (Ineos) with a devastating change of pace. This circumstance allowed him to reach the Chantada finish line alone, with a lead of 23 seconds over Bernal. The leader of Team Visma Lease a Bike thus extends his love affair with the Galician race, which marks its third edition, and in which he remains undefeated. Four stages and four wins, since Thursday’s in A Coruña did not count towards the general classification.
For most of the race, the Danish runner conveyed good feelings. He tried several times to unhook his escape companions, but without success, until one kilometer from the top of the pass he beat Bernal to face the finish line alone, in which he gained 23 and 24 seconds over the South American duo, Egan Bernal. and Jefferson Cepeda (Caja Rural), and 46 to the group of their main rivals.
Regarding the Galician runners, the best classified in this second stage was Carlos Canal (Movistar), who took fourteenth place. He was 1.32 minutes behind the stage winner. The best Spaniard of this stage between Taboada and Chantada was the Madrid-born Raúl García (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), whom Vingegaard surpassed by 46 seconds.
The stage was dominated by very adverse weather conditions, with rain and cold as the protagonists. Vingegaard was satisfied. «I am very happy, at first we wanted to be a little more conservative because it was very cold. Wilco was very strong, but not only him. The whole team did very well. I’m glad I was able to finish his work on the final climb. “There I felt strong,” said the Danish runner.
«Vingegaard is a phenomenon and will win the test»
Despite the cold and rain, no one wanted to miss the second stage of the third edition of O Gran Camiño. The streets of Taboada, the town where the runners started, gathered numerous fans. The same thing happened at the finish line, in Chantada, where the fans of this sport applauded the arrival of the runners, whom they cheered, especially Jonas Vingegaard. And it is not common to see a two-time Tour de France champion in the Ribeira Sacra. Precisely, Ángel de la Sierra, a great cycling fan, who came from Sada, traveled there. He looked for a privileged place, the climb to San Pedro de Líncora, at the height of Vía Romana, the scene in which the Danish runner began to break the race. “It was spectacular. A real pass. Right where I was, the race began to break down. It is a perfect circuit to enjoy cycling,” commented De la Sierra.
This A Coruña fan has no doubt who will win the race. “There remains a tough stage like Sunday’s, but Vingegaard is a phenomenon, and he will win O Gran Camiño,” he concluded.
The president of the Xunta, Alfonso Rueda, also did not want to miss this end of the stage, who presented a prize to the winner of the stage. Also present was the vice president of the Provincial Council, Efrén Castro, a cycling fan and practitioner. His department has supported this test from the beginning.
2024-02-23 19:50:00
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