Vuelta a España (st. 5)
After three days in the lead and the turbulent finale on Tuesday, Movistar Team recovered their batteries in Logroño -with another sprint win by Degenkolb (ARG)- in the eve of another mountain-top finish at the inedit Fuerte del Rapitán in Jaca
Following four restless days for the nine Movistar Team riders in the 2012 Vuelta a España, especially after the eventful finish on yesterday’s stage atop Valdezcaray, the Spanish grandtour took some rest on Wednesday at the Logroño circuit, with eight laps on stage five to complete 168 kilometers, where the breakaway by Javier Chacón (ACG) was the only notable move of the day before a bunch sprint again won by German John Degenkolb (ARG).
Imanol Erviti, the team’s worst hit yesterday with five stitches in his face and bruises all around his body, could this way get through the day and stay on course together with the rest of his team-mates for day six in Spain, where the GC riders will regain protagonism. The finish at the Fuerte del Rapitán (4km / 5’4%) in Jaca will put an end into a 175-kilometer stage starting at Tarazona and also including the Puerto de Oroel (Cat. 3) as the first difficulty of the day, 16k from the finish.
QUOTES:
Imanol Erviti: “Yesterday’s was a bad crash, but looking at how I ended up I can say I’m lucky, because I have no broken bone and I can go on. I had a bad night, in much pain since such bruises are always uncomfortable and even the sheets hurt you, but what always goes through your mind is riding on. You never think about giving up. There was much polemics after yesterday’s incidents, even too much. Everyone has their view and ours was already clear, but as Eusebio Unzué stated, that’s already past and we have to think about what’s left in this Vuelta.”