A rare friendship leaves the Titan sentenced to the queen’s stage

Third day of Skoda Titan Desert Almeria. Everyone is ready and nervous at the Almería circuit to start what will be the main stage of the race. The countdown is over and everyone is determined to deliver the final blow. Who gives it? The team that hasn’t failed in the whole race so far: Cannondale Vas Arabay. The queen stage victory went to Pablo Guerrero, by Scott Cala Bandida, but the one who put the final victory was Fran Herrero, thanks to the brutal friendship of Miguel Muñoz which helped him to break through despite being the new leader. For its part, the stage of Tessa Kortekaas can be defined as excellent.

Almost everything said

This Monday’s episode was presented as the great key to a very close Skoda Titan Desert Almería. 83km with 2170 meters of elevation gain to make up the difference. The Skoda Challenge bonus of one minute, on the Velefique climb, seemed like a good chance to take the final victory but it was by no means decisive. The proof was that Luis Ángel Maté was the fastest to climb to the top of the mountain with two minutes ahead of the race leader and he finished the stage exhausted, more than 18 minutes behind the winner.

Lasting the entire race in the lead was Pablo Guerrero, but his advantage over the Cannondale team disappeared in the descent. The three of them reached the finish line together but a puncture from Fran changed everything with 10km to go. Pablo continued ahead but Miguel Muñoz, with options to continue, take advantage of his teammate’s bad luck and become the new leader with one stage to go, got off the bike to help Herrero.

Fran had no words to thank Miguel for the gesture when they reached the finish line together, 33s after Guerrero: “The first attack was very difficult to go down because it was our asset. Happy to lead but I say again without my partner who is not will be possible. I had a puncture in the last 10km and instead of getting ahead of me, he decided to wait for me and disappear from the stage, which was his. For me there is no other leader and no other winner but him.”

“It’s been crazy. On the descent with Maté, Miguel and Fran caught up with us and made some progress for me. Luisle and Maté obviously didn’t take too many chances. My chance was to march as soon as possible to save time because the general team had no choice. It’s a lot of fun for the stage after being on it from the start, especially considering it’s the general classification,” explained Pablo Guerrero as he crossed the finish line in 3h 50min and 40s.

The general classification is completely dominated by Fran Herrero and Miguel Muñoz separated by 41s in the general classification. Luis Leon Sanchez, who this Monday suffered more than expected, is 2min and 31s away from third place on the provisional podium.

Hat-trick by Kortekaas

He already has two out of two in his pocket and it may take a big day to manage, but Tessa Kortekaas He didn’t understand any of that. All he knows is how to give his maximum and not give any kind of truce to his rivals. He won the queen’s stage and was also the fastest in the port of Velefique getting bonus minutes.

The Dutchwoman was 11 minutes and 49 seconds faster than Pilar Fernández, second cross the finish line. It was the worst day for Ariadna Ródenas who finished over 12 minutes behind. “I seem really strong. On my way up, I felt able to keep my foot off the ground when other runners were doing it.. I feel like flying. Open for fourth,” he declared at the finish line.

With one phase left, except for abandonment, nothing can be decided. Cannondale’s Vas Arabay lasts more than 18 minutes to Ródenas and Pilar remains over 40.