Australian Kaden Groves has won the first sprint finish of the 78th Tour of Spain. After 184.6 kilometers from Andorra to Tarragona, the 24-year-old professional cyclist won in a mass sprint ahead of Colombian Juan Sebastian Molano and Belgian Edward Theuns.
In the overall standings, everything stays the same. Belgian time trial world champion and last year’s winner Remco Evenepoel, who won the hilltop finish in Andorra-Arinsal on Monday, is five seconds ahead of Spaniard Enric Mas. Danish Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard is fourth, 31 seconds back.
Fall short of the finish
Almost four kilometers before the finish, five riders fell far in front of the peloton, and two riders also fell in the last corner before the finish. Both times, however, the favorites were spared the daily and overall victory.
Evenepoel, meanwhile, stressed that his fall in the finish area the day before wasn’t too bad. The injuries – the young star had suffered a laceration on the head – are superficial. “Shit happens. I was lucky,” said Evenepoel, who collided with a journalist after crossing the finish line in Andorra.
On Wednesday, the Vuelta continues with the fifth stage over 186.5 kilometers from Morella to Burriana. It goes over undulating terrain with a mountain of the second category, which has to be mastered 50 kilometers before the finish.