Carapaz (3rd) onto Vuelta a Burgos overall podium
17 August 2019

Movistar Team fights until very end

Ecuadorian from Movistar Team takes 4th atop Lagunas de Neila, tries to pay back team-mates Sepúlveda, Erviti, Betancur and Arcas -into the early break- for their hard work. Pedrero 7th in the day, 4th overall.

Colombian Iván Sosa (INS) notched up his second consecutive GC victory in the Vuelta a Burgos after winning – just like in 2018 – atop the traditional climb to the Lagunas de Neila, end of stage five over 146km starting at Santo Domingo de Silos.

Arcas and Erviti leading the bunch. (c) Photo Gomez Sport

The Movistar Team made a committed effort to turn the tables from their morning GC situation, and after putting Jorge Arcas into the early, 17-man breakaway, the Blues worked hard from the Collado de Vilviestre (Cat-3) ascent to reduce the gaps and set a strong pace which could favour the chances of Richard Carapaz and Antonio Pedrero.

The strong turns by Betancur, Erviti and Sepúlveda led into an attack by Richard Carapaz with less than three kilometers to go. The Blues’ attitude wdid not have the deserved prize, however, as Sosa left all contenders behind into the tough slopes of the last 500 meters.

Carapaz at the finish. (c) Photo Gomez Sport

Carapaz, 4th at the finish at 14″, stepped onto the overall podium alongside Sosa (1st) and Rodríguez (EUS, 2rd), while Antonio Pedrero, 7th over the line at 22″, took 4th in the race, just behind his team-mate.

REACTION / Richard Carapaz:

“It’s an encoraging result heading into our next big goal in this season. The team has always ridden focused and strong, trying to keep a high pace before that final climb, and I’m satisfied with their work and this podium finish we got. It’s been more than two months without any racing and you always pay that on the first race back, but I’ve seen my form improve a lot over the race. Sosa was clearly stronger and took a very deserved win. Now it’s all about the Vuelta. We will surely be there with a really strong team, and we hope to get a good result for our sponsors there.”

BinckBank Tour: Sütterlin 15th in The Hague ITT

Belgian Tim Wellens (LTS) retained his 2019 BinckBank Tour GC lead by eight seconds over Swiss Marc Hirschi (SUN) at the ‘mini time trial’ stage six in Den Haag (8.4km), won  by Filippo Ganna (INS) ahead of Edoardo Affini (MTS) and Jos van Emden (TJV).

Sütterlin at the finish. (c) Davy Rietbergen / BettiniPhoto

Jasha Sütterlin was the top Movistar Team finisher (15th, +23) in the eve of the big Northern stagerace, with a final circuit around Geraardsbergen including the cobbled climbs of Bosberg, Denderoordberg and the legendary Kapelmuur.

2019 BinckBank Tour stage six – Results

Cover picture (c): Photo Gomez Sport