after the marathon day of transition, not resting, La Vuelta 2002 continues its activity today after the start in the Netherlands, where for many it represents the truly competitive start of the Spanish round, after the three first stages in Dutch asphalt in that the slogan for the favorites is none other than to come out unscathed. This concern, not without tension and nerves, determined the performance in the Netherlands, with the first time trial of the team and two days that decided at full speed the fate of the sprint. In this tulip-scented contact, the leading role went to the Jumbo-Visma team, the fastest in the fight against the clock, and to the Irishman Sam Bennett, the fastest of the two results at full speed.
The team time trial was not decisive for career development, in the sense that there was no need to regret any weight loss, but it served to establish the first differences in the general classification between the cyclists who seeking to embrace glory. next September 11 in Madrid. The peloton arrived in Spain with Italian Edoardo Affini as leader of the general classification and with Jumbo-Visma taking the first six positions, with Primoz Roglic third. The already privileged situation of ‘Rogla’ can be interpreted as the three-time winner of La Vuelta wanting to control the race from the start, definitely putting aside the vertebrae problems that forced him to abandon the Tour.
After the Dutch aperitif, La Vuelta changes the scenery this week, returning to activity in Euskadi, before reaching Cantabria and Asturias, in a few days where the favorites and great ‘outsiders’ have to be seen or, not get down to , be more helpful to each other, because there is enough basis for things to happen and more than one to be angry.
To start, a short and explosive mid-mountain stage, which will start in Vitoria-Gasteiz and end in Laguardia, in a day where the runners will have to face two very important climbs – Opakua (2nd) and Herrera (3rd)– and that could be the third sprint result. It will be more complicated for the sprinters on the fifth day, starting in Irún and ending in Bilbao, with greater mileage, and with up to five ports –three 3rd class and one 2nd– and the two climbs in the last part towards Vivero ( 4.6 km at 8%) which may mark the development of the stage. Two stages that will serve to warm the legs of the runners before the contention on the sixth day. This is the third time that the capital of Bizkaia has started a stage with a hilltop finish, after in 1977 in Urkiola and in 2019 in Los Machucos. This time it will be done on the unprecedented Pico Jano, with a climb of 12.6 km at an average gradient of 6.55%.
A demanding proposal that can make life difficult for some of the favorites if they are not attended to and properly placed, on the first day of the órdago in a week of fireworks with the two main meals of the weekend in Asturias. First of the 154 kilometers between Pola de Llaviana and the outcome in Colláu Fancuaya, another unprecedented finish in the first category; and then on Sunday with a very difficult day, where before reaching Les Praeres (3.9 km at 12.9% and ramps of up to 29%) La Vuelta will climb four notable heights, including the Mirador de Fito (9 km climbing at 6% ).
Source: La Verdad
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