Uproarious closing of the fifth stage of the Volta a Catalunyawith a final section in which attacks followed one another until closing with a sprint won by the British Ethan Vernon, with the Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz in the midst of a hundred cyclists with the same time in goal.
The Locomotive even was encouraged to launch attacks in the final kilometers, with little space to take advantage among the favorites, with the Portuguese Joao Almeida and the Colombian Nairo Quintana taking care of strength and ground.
Without fructifying the attacks, the peloton arrived grouped at the goal of Vilanova i la Geltrú (Barcelona) and in the final sprint a young Vernon (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team) prevailed, who achieved his first professional victory.
The British surpassed the German in the final meters Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious) and French Dorian Godon (AG2R Citröen), second and third, respectively, at the close of the 206.3 kilometers of the layout.
Vernon clocked 5 hours 21 minutes 17 seconds, the same record for 106 runners, with the Ecuadorians Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) in 24th place and jonathan caicedo (EF Education-EasyPost) in box 104.
In direct fight for the general, and with the same time until the fourth stage, Almeida (UAE-Team Emirates) crossed the finish line in 25th place and Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) in 32; however, an intermediate sprint with bonus time decided the new leader of the race.
Almeida crossed third in Pantà de Foix and won a second fourth was Quintana, and that advantage weighed in the final count of the day for a tiebreaker in the accumulated time, with 22 hours 26 minutes 09 seconds for the Portuguese.
Almeida dressed as a leaderfollowed one second behind by Quintana and 7 seconds behind coffee grower Sergio Higuita (Bora-hansgrohe). Carapaz maintains ninth place overall27 seconds behind Almeida, while Caicedo is 64th at 19 minutes 11 seconds.
This Saturday, the Volta will complete the sixth of seven stages. The start will be in Salou and the arrival in Cambrils, with 167.6 kilometers.
The terrain will be hillywith one first category prize and two second, all conducive to a new change in the general classification, before facing Sunday’s day in Barcelona, when the winner of the 101st edition of the Catalan round will be crowned. (D)
Source: Eluniverso
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