La Vuelta (st. 12)

Portuguese down against barbed wire into Alto de San Jerónimo descent, , pero no sufre golpes graves. Mas y López siguen 4º y 5º en la general, tras un sprint reducido donde se impuso Cort (EFN).

Temperatures exceeding 35ºC, more than two hours seeking for the breakaway to form, several teams making huge efforts to secure a group sprint after the climbs to San Jerónimo and 14% – it wasn’t an easy stage 12 in La Vuelta by any means, proven yet again by the fact that only 40 riders contested the bunch finish -with Cort (EFN) victorious- in Córdoba.

The Movistar Team, always well positioned with its four domestiques covering its two leaders -Mas and López remain 4th and 5th overall-, had to regret, however, a crash with 55km to go. Mas and Carlos Verona could narrowly avoid it, while Nelson Oliveira got himself into a barbed wire next to the road. The Portuguese didn’t suffer, fortunately, any bigger injuries into that incident in San Jerónimo, and reached the line only with the cuts and bruises visible at the TV feed.

The wind could be the main threat for the GC riders at Friday’s stage 13 towards Villanueva de la Serena, a long journey (203km) which will take the race into Extremadura before the big mountains on Saturday and Sunday.

REACTION / Miguel Ángel López:

“We got mostly OK through today’s stage, especially after that crash – other than Nelson, who suffered those cuts, which we hope he recovers well from and it’s nothing serious, it was fine for us. It was such a warm day, with strong pace from the very start; it took 100 kilometers for the breakaway to form, and the rhythm was so fast before that. The temperatures didn’t help much, either! Thanks to Roji and all of our team-mates for keeping us at the front of the bunch at all times. The crash didn’t catch me; I only heard some whirring behind, it happened a few places after me and I could get through. We’re doing this well so far – hopefully it continues the same way!”

Cover picture (c): Dario Belingheri / BettiniPhoto