Hard fight unrewarded
07 August 2013

Vuelta a Burgos (st. 1)

Movistar Team out of the fight for victory atop the Castillo de Burgos after controlling the race from start to finish. Visconti takes 11th place

Almost for the entire 139 kilometers of stage one of the 2013 Vuelta a Burgos, starting at the province’s capital and finishing atop the hard slopes of the Castillo, Movistar Team took control of the pack as they pursuited a six-man break away from the 25th kilometer and never allowed to gain more than three minutes of advantage, with Gutiérrez, Szmyd or Jesús Herrada leading the bunch.

The control pace from the team directed by José Luis Arrieta -involved with José Herrada, fortunately with no consequences, into the first of two crashes of the day- paid its effect into the first passage through the Castillo and the flat leading to the second ascent, with both Herrada brothers, as well as Rubén Plaza, entering the splits to avoid a disorganized finish.

However, the speed into the bunch leading to the second climb caused Nairo Quintana being left behind, losing places and any chance of contesting the win. Giovanni Visconti (11th) was the first Movistar Team finisher, into a first big group, eight seconds behind the day’s winner and first leader Simone Ponzi (AST). Bad luck should bounce back tomorrow as the race covers 157km from Roa de Duero to another hilltop finish in the roman city of Clunia (Cat-3).