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Vuelta a Andalucia. Stage 3. Oscar Gatto sprinting to fourth place in Herrera, Sanchez and Fuglsang defend GC standings
In a hectic final of Stage 3 of Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol, it was Oscar Gatto sprinting to a 4th place behind winner Sacha Modolo. After a relatively easy stage, the final was a hard one for the riders aiming for the General Classification to keep out of trouble. Luis Leon Sanchez and Jakob Fuglsang managed to do so by staying in front of the peloton, performing as a lead out for Gatto.
- We knew the last 10 km very well, because firstly our masseurs and later our director Bruno Cenghialta passed it and explained it perfectly. So, all the team was in front and we did everything to stay there. In the last corner I tried to do it as good as possible in the best possible trajectory and later I just gave my best in the sprint. Well, this was the result, now we are looking forward to tomorrow’s stage, - told Oscar Gatto after his sprint.
The third stage of Vuelta a Andalucia brought the peloton from Manche Real to Herrera (166,1 km). A group of four riders took off right from the start, but they never managed to take more than a 3’30” advantage on the controlling peloton.
The real chasing started in the final 20 kilometers, catching the final riders of the breakaway with only 10 kilometers remaining. Because of the smaller roads and tight corners in the final it was hard to stay out of trouble, so Luis Leon Sanchez and Jakob Fuglsang went to the front together with Oscar Gatto. After the hectic final kilometers it was Oscar Gatto sprinting in a select group of fast riders, ending fourth.
- It was a really hard final with cobblestones, small roads and tight corners. We wanted to stay out of trouble, so we moved to the front. We tried to be safe until the finish, but that’s not always easy. But we’re happy that we made it, and now we can focus on the final two stages and trying to improve our standings in the GC, - said Jakob Fuglsang after the stage.
In the final two stages of this year’s Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol, the General Classification will be decided by an uphill finish and a TT. Starting tomorrow with the stage from Sevilla to Alcalá de Los Gazules, a 194,7km-long stage with a 1st cat. and 3rd cat. climb in the middle and an uphill finish (130 meters difference in the final three kilometer).
Photo credit: Bettiniphoto
