Duel of the Dutch, the favorites for the general classification, in the first high end of the Spanish round
MADRID, 5 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Dutch cyclist Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx) conquered the Mirador de Peñas Llanas this Friday, in a fifth stage starting at La Cabrera, 129.2 kilometers long and in the first hilltop finish of La Vuelta Femenina, to overcome her compatriot and current champion Annemiek Van Vleuten (Movistar Team) and being the new overall leader.
The first hilltop finish of this new Spanish round, which debuts a seven-stage format to consolidate its status as ‘Great’, saw a beautiful duel between the Dutch Vollering and Van Vleuten, who opted in favor of SD Worx, taking the lead and with a very high rhythm that not even the world champion could follow.
Van Vleuten sank just 100 meters from the finish line, in a 4.6-kilometre Mirador de Peñas Llanas (2nd) at a 7.1 percent average slope. She held on to the Movistar Team, unable to attack, but in the end she missed the finish line by 3 seconds (plus bonuses), with the German Ricarda Bauernfeind (Canyon // SRAM Racing) third, 9 seconds behind.
The final ascent was started by around twenty runners together, but the high pace imposed by Trek-Segafredo, thinking of a Gaia Realini that in the end was fifth at 27 seconds –behind Évita Muzic (FDJ-SUEZ), with 13 seconds lost–, caused units to be lowered. Among them, a Mavi García (Liv Racing TeqFind) who lost steam with 1.3 to go, to be tenth in the stage, 50 seconds from the winner.
In the last kilometer Vollering began to carve out the victory. He changed the pace, leading the pack of favourites, and took Van Vleuten, Bauernfeind and Realini with him, with Muzic arriving shortly after. But the incessant rhythm of her, squeezing more and more, took each one of them out of the point. Not even the rainbow gave Van Vleuten enough strength to challenge his compatriot for victory.
Now out of the fight for the general classification, Chloe Dygert (Canyon//SRAM Racing) was left behind, second overall at the start of the stage, despite a titanic effort to stay in the lead. Long before the leader, and winner of two of the four stages disputed, the Dutchman Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo-Visma) was picked up until this Friday.
The wearer of the red jersey got off the hook in the Puerto de Navafría (11.5 kilometers at 5.8 percent), 83 kilometers from the finish line, and despite trying, her large group did not make contact with the head of career.
Now the new leader Vollering has a 5 second lead over Van Vleuten, 12 over Riejanne Markus (Team Jumbo-Visma), 27 over Elise Chabbey (Canyon//SRAM Racing) and 51 over Juliette Labous (Team DSM). , with the Spanish Mavi García in ninth position at 1:28.
This Saturday the sixth stage is presented with unknowns. In the scarce 106.1 kilometers between Castro Urdiales and Laredo, two 2nd category passes in the second half of the day, the Alto de Fuente de las Varas and the Campo el Hayal Pass could make the group of favorites move, although the finish is flat and there will be time to recover the distance lost on the climbs.
–CLASSIFICATIONS.
-Stage.
1. Demi Vollering (NED/Team SD Worx) 3:33:25.
2. Annemiek Van Vleuten (NED/Movistar Team) a 3.
3. Ricarda Bauernfeind (ALE/Canyon//SRAM Racing) 9.
4. Évita Muzic (FRA/FDJ-SUEZ) 13.
5. Gaia Realini (ITA/Trek-Segafredo) 27.
…//…
10. MAVI GARCIA (ESP/Liv Racing TeqFind) 50.
-General.
1. Demi Vollering (NED/Team SD Worx) 13:27:01.
2. Annemiek Van Vleuten (NED/Movistar Team) a 5.
3. Riejanne Markus (NED/Team Jumbo-Visma) 12.
4. Elise Chabbey (SUI/Canyon//SRAM Racing) 27.
5. Juliette Labous (FRA/Team DSM) 51.
…///…
9. MAVI GARCÍA (ESP/Liv Racing TeqFind) 1:28.