GIRONA: After yesterday’s second place on the first stage, Tadej Pogacar immediately asserted his physical condition by winning the second leg of the Spanish race, which took the riders for 185.6km from Mataró to the ascent of Vallter 2000.
The morning did not start well for UAE Team Emirates with Jay Vine forced to withdraw from the start due to stomach problems. However, the team worked well throughout the stage, setting the pace, and keeping the breakaway under control.
Adverse weather with rain and fog accompanied the second part of the race, but it could not stop UAE Team Emirates and Tadej Pogacar who, at the beginning of the final climb (11.4 km with peaks of 18 percent, and an average gradient of 7.6 percent), first caught the last escapee and then unleashed the solo effort of the Slovenian rider who crossed the finish line (at 2135 meters above sea level) alone with a lead of 1’23’ from the nearest chasers.
A good performance also from the Portuguese Joao Almeida, who was in the group with Pogacar
until his attack and remaining with the best to finish the stage in fourth position.
Pogacar said, ‘We started with almost summer weather, but the clouds chased us and the rain fell starting from the penultimate climb. Despite the adverse weather conditions and the altitude, I felt good, testing my legs already in the last descent and then going at my pace until the end without looking back.’
Tomorrow the race will resume with another challenging stage: 180.6km from Sant Joan de les Abadesses to the climb of Port Ainé.
Source: Emirates News Agency