The Colombian cyclist Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain – Victorious) fell today to third place in the general classification of the 69th edition of the Tour of Andalusia-Ruta del Sol, after entering fifth on the fourth day of the contest, won by the leader of the general , the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team).
The two-time Tour winner was the strongest in the last meters and celebrated his third victory in the Andalusian round, this time over 164.8 kilometers between Olvera and Iznájar. Pogacar beat the Spanish Enric Mas (Movistar) and the Italian Lorenzo Rota (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) in a demanding final.
As for the Latino riders, Buitrago) had to settle for fifth place and ended up giving second place overall to his teammate, the Spanish Mikel Landa (Bahrain-Victorious) while the Ecuadorian Jefferson Cepeda (Caja Rural – Seguros RGA) animated the escapade of the day.
The peloton faced a tough split and on the first climb of the day it broke. Before the first climb of the day, several riders tried to get away, but they went ahead for a short time as the peloton caught up with them without any danger to the leaders.
After the first break failed, the break of the day was formed with Pavel Sivakov (Ineos Grenadiers), Ruben Guerreiro (Movistar), Matteo Sobrero (Team Jayco AlUla), Jefferson Cepeda (Caja Rural – Seguros RGA), Pascal Eenkhoorn (Lotto Dstny), Edvald Boasson-Hagen (TotalEnergies), Lorenzo Fortunato (Eolo-Kometa), Edoardo Zambanini (Bahrain – Victorious), Gonzalo Serrano (Movistar) and Dion Smith (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), but in the final kilometers they were all neutralized.
In the mountainous closing, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Enric Mas (Movistar) were the great cheerleaders, where the Slovenian once again showed his power to take his third victory in the race and fourth for his team.
The Spanish race will end this Sunday with the fifth stage, a leg-breaking section of 184.3 kilometers that will connect the towns of Otura with Alhaurín de la Torre, where we will meet the successor to the Dutchman Wout Poels, last year’s champion.
Stage Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO/UAE Emirates) 4:01:08.
2. Enric More (ESP/Movistar) at 0:03.
3. Lorenzo Rota (ITA/Intermarché-Circus) at 0:09.
4. Mikel Landa (ESP/Bahrain-Victorious) at 0:12.
5. Santiago Buitrago (COL/Bahrain-Victorious) at 0:21.
General ranking:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO/UAE Emirates) 4:36:58 p.m.
2. Mikel Landa (ESP/Bahrain-Victorious) at 1:14
3. Santiago Buitrago (COL/Bahrain-Victorious) at 1:19.
4. Carlos Rodríguez (ESP/Ineos Grenadiers) at 1:35.
5. Enric Mas (ESP/Movistar) at 1:54.
Source: Agencia Prensa Latina y Revista Mundo Ciclístico