Succumbense Santiago Montenegro added a second partial victory for national drivers in the 40th edition of the Cycling Tour of Ecuador by winning the fifth stage of the test, held this Friday between Cotacachi and Ciudad Mitad del Mundo.

Montenegro added its victory to that of Richard Huera, a compatriot and teammate in Movistar-Best PC, a team that also won with Colombian Marco Tulio Suesca in the third stage.

Ecuador Bike Tour: Ascent of Culebrillas ‘the main part will break’

He champion of the 2020 edition managed to recover from the grueling climb of Culebrillas to take a brief lead and take the win with a time of 4 hours 12 minutes 34 seconds, and after Byron Guamá (+16).

He crossed the finish line third, 27 seconds behind Jorge Montenegro (Banco Guayaquil-Ecuador), who completed the second tricolor stand in this edition. With the man from Carchense, his leader entered the circle Robinson Chalapudwho was able to maintain the overall lead he had gained from the other faction.

Day of a tough fight between the favourites, with continental teams looking to position their riders up front. Movistar-Best PC put together a breakaway and had Richard Huera with Marco Suesca in the lead, along with Mauricio Irua (C&S Technology) going for the hill prize in Cochas, the first of three strong climbs on the stage.

Huera led the escape to Cochas and in the mountain classification he came close to the leader Robinson Chalapuda, who with the bankers defended the red shirt of the holder and the yellow shirt of the general classification.

The coffee grower arrived accompanied by David Caicedo to break into a group of tech players, who, led by Huera, added Suesca and Venezuelan Carlos Galviz to push the race forward.

Change of protagonist in descent, in “kill or be killed” technicians stretched the group this time with Joel Fuertes and Juan Alba, but Alejandro Pita (Saitel) was first in the sprint in Cayambe.

The second and final flying objective of the day was to Suesca, rejoining the breakaway group, before the start of the Tocacha climb, halfway through the day’s route, the Suesca leg, which added the next two flying objectives.

Reduced the group, The climb through Culebrillas ended with the choice of waterwith technology and banking in open battle to stay ahead.

Montenegro was the strongest in the climb to Tanlahuawho led the distribution of points that left Chalapud as the mountain champion in this edition of the test.

The last section was dominated by the Tehnologija team, which registered its third partial victory with Montenegro in the finish line.

Chalapud added 15 hours 01 minutes 20 seconds in five driven stages, making him the virtual champion of the Vuelta, in the absence of a track this Saturday in Ciudad Mitad del Mundo. The second is his teammate Montenegro, and the third is Santiago Montenegro, from the telephone team.

The categories changed leaders, with banker Nixon Roser as the new under-23 leader and Suesco as the best sprinter, who must confirm the green jersey in Saturday’s circuit, which will include 10 corners in San Antonio de Pichincha to complete the 116.1 kilometers and also crown the champion of the test, which but for the new events, would have had the Colombian Chalapuda as a double champion. (D)