Liège-Bastogne-Liège / Spanish Racing Series

Spanish climber from Movistar Team in the mix with top names at La Redoute, finishes just behind first main group after winner Van Vleuten (MTS). Alba, supported by Lourdes Oyarbide, gets boxed in in bunch sprint at Sevilla's Copa de España round.

It was a huge exhibition from world TT champion Annemiek van Vleuten (MTS) at the fourth edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège (UCI Women’s WorldTour), over 138km under cold, rainy conditions in the Ardennes hills. The Dutchwoman jumped strong into the penultimate, decisive climb of La Redoute, just over 30km from the end, over a selected group of favourites including Mavi García (Movistar Team).

The Mallorca native was able to keep the pace of a nine-woman pursuit, eventually becoming a group of twenty after the final climb to La Roche-aux-Faucons. García was slightly dropped back at the end into the last descent to Liège, which left the Spaniard in a decent 17th spot, at 2’05”. Behind, Aude Biannic (19th), Malgorzata Jasinska (24th) and Eider Merino (30th) made the second big group and put four of the Blues within the top 30 at the Boulevard d’Avroy.

At a scenario completely different to Belgium’s –90km with high temperatures, plenty of wind and a quite flat course in Dos Hermanas (Sevilla)-, Alba Teruel and Lourdes Oyarbide defended themselves well during the fourth round of the Spanish Racing Series. Always quite close together, the race was bound to a bunch sprint, where Noja winner ‘Tata’ Martins (SWT) took the day’s honours ahead of Teruel, quite boxed in at the finishing straight and 6th over the line.

2019 Ciudad de Dos Hermanas results

Cover picture (c): Velofocus