Meintjes captures Itzulia’s less celebrated success

The Back to the Basque Country has seen how the competition has taken second or third place in fourth stage this Thursday. The 157.5 kilometers that at first they were united Etxarri Aranatz and Legutiowhich was later cut, was left in the background on a day where, despite this, the winner was the South African cyclist from Intermarché-Wanty Louis Meintjes.

But in what must have been the strangest achievement of his career, there was a very embarrassing celebration at the finish line. because all attention was focused about thirty kilometers earlier, then a very difficult fall that ended with Jonas Vingegaard, Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel, among others, on the ground, although three of the race’s superstars were included as the most involved in one of the mishaps of the season. Especially the double Tour champion.

This caused the organization to neutralize a fight for the stage whose drawing was structured in the first thirty kilometers. In the first stage attacks, Louis Meintjes, Mikel Retegi, Reuben Thompson, Joseba López, Karel Vacek and Mathieu Burgaudeau They formed a breakaway of the day that was watched from the rear of the peloton, controlling the advantage of the breakaways.

The multi-colored snake began to accelerate about fifty kilometers from the end, but a heavy fall suffered about fifteen kilometers later forced the group of favorites to stop on the stage and leave open the only match against the organization of the race . This allowed the men at the front, despite the fact that they stopped at first in solidarity with their comrades, to continue the march to play for victory among themselves, which all time was canceled and, therefore, without general effect.

So, everyone continued their march and it was about twelve kilometers from the end, at the beginning of the ascent to Leintz-Gatzaga, when the attacks began. Vacek and Thompson tried, but Meintjes came from behind to join them and unleash the last pedal stroke about ten kilometers from the finish line.. It was then that he freed his teammates to maintain the pace, once the climb was crowned, on a flat terrain where he was able to gain between thirty and forty seconds over Thompson and Vacek.

In this way, the South African achieved the seventh victory of his career, although it was not a day for celebrations. After abandoning Roglic and Evenepoel, the Dane from Lidl-Trek Mattias Skjelmoseso far third overall, the leader with four seconds ahead of Juan Ayuso. All, on a day where the sports side took a backseat.