Vuelta a Andalucía (st. 3)

Spanish youngster from Movistar Team finishes 14th - just under a minute behind race leader Tim Wellens (LTS) - in demanding Ruta del Sol TT, prelude to the big mountains in Granada.

Héctor Carretero (Movistar Team) continues to improve as a pro in the always-difficult fight against the clock, and completed a good performance in the demanding 16km ITT of the Vuelta a Andalucía, Friday, from Mancha Real to La Guardia de Jaén.

The 23-year-old Spaniard kept a good pace through the two climbs in today’s course -the Alto de 7 Pilillas and the demanding final kick uphill- to take 14th in the day, his 23’24” improved by just under a minute by the Ruta del Sol’s dominator so far, Belgian Tim Wellens. Up to five of the riders directed by Maximilian Sciandri and José Luis Arrieta finished inside the stage’s top-30 and close to Héctor, which leaves the Blues in a peculiar situation in the overall standings: 14th to 17th consecutively in the GC -with Carretero, Valls, Verona and Prades-, a minute and a half behind Wellens.

The Vuelta a Andalucía will be decided almost for good at Saturday’s brutal mountain stage, one with just 120km from Armilla to Granada, yet with two big ascents in the Purche and Hazallanas -as well as the little climbs of La Malahá and Güéjar Sierra- before the finish in this historic city.