In a dramatic and spectacular battle for the leadership and the partial victory in the queen stage, the runner Didier Merchán (Colombia Tierra de Atletas-GW) took the victory in the third and penultimate fraction of the Tour of Tolima, which was completed over 180 miles between Mariquita and Fresno. Aldemar Reyes (EPM Scott) maintains the lead.
Merchán, who in the absence of fifteen kilometers for the goal of this day started in search of victory, reached the goal alone with 41 seconds difference over Oscar Pachón (Sundark Arawak) and Darwin Atapuma (Colombia Tierra de Atletas-GW) who they occupied the second and third position respectively.
The great offensive action of the day was starred in the final phase of the day by Team Medellín, who launched three of their runners in search of the difference over the group; Walter Vargas and Weimar Roldan as support and impetus for José Tito Hernández who was the best placed man in the general classification, who marched a significant number of kilometers alone, with the intention of entering the dispute of the test.
Along with Tito Hernández, two men marched who were equally protagonists; Rafael Pineda (UAE Team Colombia) and Johan Moreno (Colnago CM Team) who marched at the top, until the main group commanded by the Colombia Tierra de Atletas-GW 4WD Renta Car team, established the connection, prior to the ascent to Alto de La Parish in which the young Yesid Pira (Mayor of La Vega) once again exhibited his potential and crossed first.
When passing through the Alto de La Parroquia, Yesid Pira was joined by Didier Merchán (Colombia Tierra de Atletas-GW) who set out in search of the difference, while in the main group the EPM Scott team imposed the rhythm so as not to put at risk the leadership of Aldemar Reyes.
Merchán, who took Pira off his wheel on the ascent to Alto de la Virgen, was in charge of leading a great offensive action, putting in check the leader Reyes, who in the first person led the persecution in a small group in which they were marching; Daniel Arroyave, Darwin Atapuma, Oscar Sevilla, Aristóbulo Cala, Yesid Pira, Oscar Pachón, Oscar Sevilla and Oscar Galvis.
On the other side, Yessenia Meneses (Colombia Tierra de Atletas-GW) wore a spectacular solo victory this Saturday in the third and penultimate stage of the Vuelta al Tolima, which had the mountain as the main stage and took place between Armero Guayabal and Fresno over a distance of 44 kilometers.
“I am very happy with this stage that I won, it was very fast from the beginning. We started driving the race on the uphill with my teammates who did a great job. We made an attack on the first mountain prize, which was where I could go and get time ”, stated the winner.
The runner from Antioquia who delivered the second consecutive stage win to Colombia Tierra de Atletas-GW 4wd Renta Car, surpassed the new leader Yenifer Ducuara (Merquimia Proyecta) who was second at 32 seconds. While Andrea Alzate (Colnago CM Team) was third at 1 minute 25 seconds and gave up the lead.
In the general classification, Yeniffer Ducuara (Merquimia Proyecta) came to command with a difference of thirteen seconds over Jessenia Meneses (Colombia Tierra de Atletas GW), and eighteen seconds over Andrea Álzate (Colnago CM Team).
With a circuit in Ibagué, the 2020 edition of the Vuelta al Tolima will conclude this Sunday
Source: Mundo Ciclistico Magazine