Tour de Suisse (st. 2)

Spaniard from Movistar Team within top names in the WorldTour at demanding, rainy finale; Serrano, Soler stay with main pursuit group.

In his first race back after a post-spring break, Iván García Cortina (Movistar Team) continues to show that his great level allows the fans dreaming about big goals for the remainder of the 2021 season. The Spaniard finished 4th on the first road stage of the Tour de Suisse (UCI WorldTour), over a lumpy course, with some rainy, dangerous sections, with three categorized climbs from Neuhausen to Lachen.

Cortina was part of a five-star leading group over the top of the final ascent, Litschstrasse (Cat-2), following the pace of Carapaz (IGD), Alaphilippe (DQT), Fuglsang (AST), Schachmann (BOH) or eventual stage winner Mathieu van der Poel (AFC). Iván had got through a first selection, with 40 riders at the front after one of the descent, which also included Gonzalo Serrano and Marc Soler, who finished 22″ down on the leaders.

The GC now lists Cortina in 5th place, 12″ behind Stefan Küng (GFC), while Serrano places in 11th, 34″ back. The sprinters should have a big chance in Pfaffnau on Tuesday, before the big climbs in this year’s Helvetic stagerace loom as of Wednesday’s stage four.

Cover picture (c): BettiniPhoto