Second victory for the Australian Jai Vine in breakaway, in a stage where the leader put the accelerator back on
With the youngsters Carlos Rodríguez and Juan Ayuso, fourth and fifth overall
It is not enough that the Asturian public is delivered. “Come on, Mikel, come on!” They yell at Landa, who is on the run. He runs with his soul full of victory intentions but with leaden legs. There is nothing to do, although he is the most famous of the breakaway that fights to win the first of the two stages of the Vuelta in the peaks of Asturias.
A Remco Evenepoel, the Belgian phenomenon, 22 years old, the red jersey, the one who doesn’t look back when he puts the turbo, nobody yells at him. Nor to Henry Pluswhich although it is already second overall, does not enjoy the fame of Landa. Not even Marc to usually do, escape partner of the cyclist from Alava. The day that Landa wins again, if he arrives, the Vuelta will break out.
But the Asturian peaks are not made in his image and likeness because in Colláu Fancuaya, another discovery in the Principality, Jai Vine wins, the same as in Pico Jano, on Thursday, the cyclist who became a professional because they gave him an opportunity after to win a championship with the roller and the TV that was made during the confinement of 2020. He arrived at the Vuelta as an unknown and already has two victories, and leader of the mountain. Seeing is believing.
How to believe that Evenepoel has no limit, which springs into action when the mist appears, although this time primoz Roglic it does not drop. He squeezes the young Belgian and sees that Plus He continues to lie in wait, marking him, without giving up a single meter and even attacking at the finish line to see if he steals a second from the Belgian runner. Dude, I’ve done the whole climb! Evenepoel does not allow happiness to the Majorcan and Roglic raises some questions again. Why not sprint off a high finish as has always been your custom? Today, the cards will be put on the table again because the second mountain chapter in Asturias is even longer and harder.
How tough are the troublemakers, those who do not want to be left behind in the class of kids. Carlos Rodriguez go up close to Evenepoel to show him that he is only one year younger than him, less experienced, but that he is already the leader of Ineos. And that’s not a joke, nor that he is fourth overall, after Evenepoel, Plus Y Roglic. These guys are magnificent. And watch out why Juan Ayuso give a little, just a little, but this is very long. At 19 years old it is impressive that after a long week of competition he is fifth overall. He even finds help from his apparent head of ranks in the UAE, the Portuguese cyclist joao Almeida, only a little older, at 24 years old. He covers the gaps, gives him support on the mountain and protects him so that time doesn’t run out on the summit before the push of Evenepoel.
The motivation
“I am very motivated by the performance I have had in the stage and because I am running in a team that has shown that it knows how to fight for the general classification”, he defends Evenepoel when asked about his squad, the Quick Step, a team with a tradition of winning great classics and controlling races such as the Tour and Vuelta, but only when the script indicates a flat stage that will be resolved by sprinting. The thing about taking the helm for the general classification because it was only seen a little when Julian alaphilippetoday first squire of Evenepoelhe put himself between eyebrows to win the 2019 French round, which he lost three days from Paris.
The reality is that the Quick Step works as a team and that only a little Ineos and Movistar give it some respite with the Jumbo of Roglic totally and very surprisingly missing in action. Evenepoel he’s a lot of leader. For now.