BARCELONA, 22 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The French cyclist Axel Laurance (Alpecin-Deceuninck) won this Friday the fifth stage of the Volta a Catalunya, held between Altafulla and Viladecans over 167.3 kilometers, this time surpassing Thursday’s winner Marijn van den Berg (EF) in the final sprint Education-EasyPost) and Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), in a transition stage for leader Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates).
It was a ‘photo finish’ in which Axel Laurance (Alpecin-Deceuninck), who was fifth in the first stage in Sant Feliu de Guíxols and also fifth this Thursday in Lleida, was finally able to celebrate in style, despite the uncertainty of the tight final, a stage victory in this 103rd Catalan round.
And the massive sprint was endangered when, already in the last kilometer, two cyclists, from the Kern Pharma Team and the Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, who had attempted it alone a kilometer before, were caught.
Furthermore, after the bonus intermediate sprint in Sant Vicenç dels Horts, the group broke up and several cyclists went ahead, eventually forming a small group of 8 breakaways 12.5 kilometers from the finish line. Among them: Chris Harper (Team Jayco AlUla), fifth overall, 3:22 behind Pogacar. They were hunted 13 from the goal.
Before, in the middle of the climb to the Alt de la Creu d’Aragall, a 6.4 kilometer 2nd at an average gradient of 5.9 percent, the five-member escape was broken by the attack of Georg Steinhauser (EF) and, later , that of the Spanish Óscar Rodríguez (INEOS Grenadiers). Already as a duo, they tried to beat a platoon led by Israel-Premier Tech.
Rodríguez and Steinhauser managed to take the lead, without any attacks in the main group. And Tadej Pogacar, the multi-leader, was very alone in the first positions. Although the pace was high, he did not take advantage to try to break the race. In the end, the duo was swallowed up on the descent, 27 kilometers from the finish, leaving the way clear at the finish to the sprint.
A descent from the Alt de la Creu d’Aragall that was fast, tense by the Uno-X and also by the Soudal Quick-Step, with Einer Rubio (Movistar Team) also looking for the leading role. The group was cut into several pieces but they reunited almost at the foot of the port. There could have been more movements but, neither going up nor going down, in the end there was no greater spectacle.
On the other hand, this Saturday, sparks are expected to fly in the queen stage, to which Tadej Pogacar arrives with a great cushion of 2:27 minutes over Mikel Landa (Soudal-Quick Step) and 2:55 over Aleksandr Vlasov (BORA -hansgrohe).
It will be a stage with 6 climbs and a leg-breaking route of 154.7 kilometers between Berga and Queralt. As soon as we leave, the Coll de la Bataillola (11.6 kilometers at 3.2 percent, with the last 2.1 kilometers at 6.7 percent) will welcome the peloton, which could break up due to escape attempts.
After passing the Collet de Cal Ros, of 2nd category and 10.4 kilometers at 4.2 percent, the expected ascent will arrive, as it is very popular among cyclists, to the Coll de Pradell, with 14.6 kilometers of ascent to the 7.1 percent but the last 5.5 kilometers climb at 11 percent on average. Its descent gives rise to the Collada de Sant Isidre (a 1st of 5 kilometers at 8.7 percent) and now, to put the cherry on top, the final ascent to Queralt (6 kilometers at 7.2 percent) after the bonus sprint in Berga.
–CLASSIFICATIONS.
-Stage.
1. Axel Laurance (FRA/Alpecin-Deceuninck) 3:36:05.
2. Margin of the Mountain (NOW/EC Education-EasyPost) mt
3. Bryan Coquard (FRA/Cofidis) m.t.
4. Orluis Aular (LIT/Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) mt
5. Stephen Williams (GBR/Israel-Premier Tech) m.t.
-General.
1. Tadej Pogacar (SVN/UAE Team Emirates) 20:54:36.
2. MIKEL LANDA (ESP/Soudal Quick-Step) a 2:27.
3. Aleksandr Vlasov (BORA-hansgrohe) 2:55.
4. Lenny Martinez (FRA/Groupama-FDJ) 3:21.
5. Chris Harper (AUS/Team Jayco AlUla) 3:22.
…//…
6. ENRIC MAS (ESP/MOVISTAR TEAM) 3:24.
2024-03-22 16:55:02
#Axel #Laurence #wins #Viladecans #Pogacar #reaches #queen #stage #Volta #untouchable
