Spanish Urko Berrade (Kern Pharma) He took the victory of stage 18 of the Tour of Spain after showing incredible mental strength, and attacking a group exhausted by the brutal effort. The leader of the race, the Australian Ben O’Connor, He suffered again in the mountains, but stayed one more day in the red jersey.
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Last day of transition in the Tour of Spain before the high mountains arrive to define the general classification. This Thursday, stage 18 was run, 179.3 kilometers, between Vitoria Gasteiz and Maeztu Izqui Natural Park, a route that included two mountain passes, one of the first category and the other of the second. The finish was on flat ground after a descent.
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The escape took advantage of the disorder
The peloton started off without any rush, there were few escape attempts and the excitement was saved less than 120 kilometres from the finish line, when the group broke into a thousand pieces and amidst the chaos the group split into several factions.
43 cyclists fled, including the Colombian Harold Tejada who in this last week of competition has suffered in the mountains and has lost a lot of time in the general classification.
The day was made for the escape. Vacek, Küng and Schmid They led the group that began the ascent to Puerto Herrera, a first category mountain. The Spaniard Marc Soler, As in previous stages, he once again shone in the mountains and joined the head of the race.
Ben O’Connor and Primoz Roglic
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In the group of favorites, the Ecuadorian’s EF Richard Carapaz accelerated and left a man without legs Mikel Landa who was suffering. Another who was not having a good time was the leader Ben O’Connor, who was left behind on the climb and faltered again on the mountain.
The breakaway was already 7 minutes behind the favourites, and the victory was in the hands of the riders at the front of the race. Behind them, the owner of the red leader’s jersey was rejoining the group after finding a lifeline in the midst of his suffering.
The peloton reduced the time, but was unable to catch the escapees who were fighting for victory. In the last part of the stage, the Spaniard Urko Berrade He came out convinced by the victory and, with great determination, he conquered stage 18 of the Vuelta a España after a stellar sprint.
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The Colombian Harold Tejada He had a very outstanding performance by arriving ahead of the group of favourites. O’Connor, Roglic and Carapaz gave Landa a ‘soft blow’ in the general classification by gaining more than two minutes on him and ending his options.
This Friday, at Alto de Moncalvillo, the general classification will begin to be defined in a stage 19, of 173.2 kilometers, with a finish line in a first category mountain pass.
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