The first high mountain finish in the Volta a Catalunya included a powerful solo attack by Esteban Chaves, who ended up being hit 500 meters from the finish line, in a fraction won by Giulio Ciccone, who beat Primoz Roglic at the finish, still overall leader.
The second episode of the Volta a Catalunya, a UCI World Tour race, took place on Tuesday between Mataró and the Vallter ski resort, on a 165-kilometre journey, which included an initial third-category port and then faced a first-class one. category (km. 118) and the ascent at the out-of-category finish line in the heart of the Pyrenees.
After the first port, the good escape of the day ended up forming; A total of eight riders gave the whiplash and the peloton went off the radar, in a long-winded adventure and in which the escapees had an income that came to exceed five minutes.
While the front group kept up with a good joint effort, the peloton at the back suffered with some crashes and punctures, which did not prevent the gap with the breakaways from gradually narrowing. Despite this, the adventure managed to overcome the first category port even with a good cushion of time over the large group.
Although the final climb was officially 15 kilometers long, the actual ascent began more than 30 kilometers from the finish line and the escapees suffered it; the leading group was losing members as the ramps hardened to the point that the last of the adventurers was caught 6,500 meters from the end.
The peloton, which had suffered a cut thanks to a massive fall 19 kilometers from the end, had no peace and once the break was broken, Esteban Chaves appeared; The Colombian champion attacked with 6,300 meters to go and although Sepp Kuss initially followed him, the Bogotá native soon went solo and attacked the port with a good rhythm and a difference that came to exceed half a minute.
Beyond the fact that initially the favorites did not set a pace of pursuit, with 4 kilometers to go to the top Remco Evenepoel quickened his pace and soon Giulio Ciccone, Mikel Landa, Primoz Roglic, among others, went to his wheel and with a powerful attack The Colombian’s advantage was reduced, and he managed to stay ahead until the 500 meter warning for the finish line, at which point he was overtaken and overtaken.
With no road or time, Evenepoel tried to hold the pace but Ciccone and Roglic went ahead and in a steep pack the Italian prevailed over the Slovenian, to take an exciting fraction.
Overall, Roglic maintains the lead, followed by Evenepoel and Ciccone, while Colombian Chaves gained nine places and is now the best placed in the Americas with eighth place.
Classification Stage 2
1. Giulio Ciccone (Trek – Segafredo) – 4h:13m:37s
2. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) at m.t.
3. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal – Quick Step) to m.t.
General ranking
1. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) – 8h:01m:38s
2. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal – Quick Step) at 6s
3. Giulio Ciccone (Trek – Segafredo) at 6s
Source: Andrés Castro, at www.colombiasports.net