MADRID, 9 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Danish cyclist Mads Pedersen (Trek Segafredo) beat all his rivals this Friday in a new sprint that ended the 138.3-kilometre stage, starting and finishing in Talavera de la Reina, where the men in the general Loading up for Saturday with a red jersey still in the hands of Belgian Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl).
The former world champion achieved his third stage win in what is still one of the best moments of his career. Pedersen was able to finish off a day that his team controlled at all times and met expectations by beating Briton Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) and Belgian Gianni Vermeersch (Alpecin Deceuninck) at the finish line.
The Dane was the big favorite from the beginning, as the presence of several mountain passes on the route eliminated the purest sprint specialists from the equation, leaving the Trek-Segafredo practically the only big name if the stage victory ended in the platoon, as it was.
Mads Pedersen thus becomes the rider who has won the most stages so far in this edition of La Vuelta, beating Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe), Jay Vine (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Richard Carapaz (INEOS Grenadiers) and Remco Evenepoel, who have achieved two. In addition, he is practically guaranteed to win the points green jersey, which he has been wearing since the eighth stage.
The day unfolded calmly and quickly, allowing the peloton only a three-rider breakaway that was always under control. There was also no movement among the men fighting for the general classification, who are more focused on tomorrow’s stage, the last chance to win La Vuelta.
Carlos Rodríguez (INEOS Grenadiers) showed a much better face after his hard crash yesterday and the injuries, even showing his face in the final part of the day, when his team moved to position British Ben Turner well, who finished entering room.
Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl once again delegated the weight of the race, leaving Trek-Segafredo in charge of the peloton throughout the day. Thus, with a little help from Bahrain Victorious, he set the pace of the day and allowed the leader’s team to recharge their batteries for Saturday’s stage.
The twentieth stage of La Vuelta will be the one that decides the champion of the edition, as Remco Evenepoel will have to defend his red jersey in a stage with three first category mountain passes and two second category ones.
The stage will cover 181 kilometers between Moralzarzal and Puerto de Navacerrada, ending at a stop that has already decided other editions of the Spanish round, such as the one won by Fabio Aru in 2014 and from which the final podium of the race will come.
–CLASSIFICATIONS.
-Stage.
1. Mads Pedersen (DIN/Trek-Segafredo) 3:19:11.
2. Fred Wright (GBR/Bahrain Victorious) m.t.
3. Gianni Vermeersch (BEL/Alpecin-Deceuninck) m.t.
4. Ben Turner (GBR/INEOS Grenadiers) m.t.
5. Mike Theunissen (HOL/Jumbo-Visma) m.t.
-General.
1. Remco Evenepoel (BEL/Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) 73:18:23.
2. ENRIC MAS (ESP/MOVISTAR TEAM) 2:07.
3. JOHN AYUSO (ESP/UAE TEAM EMIRATES) 5:1
4. Miguel Angel Lopez (COL/Astana Qazaqstan Team) 5:5
5. CARLOS RODRIGUEZ (ESP/INEOS GRENADIERS) 6:49.
