Álex Martín climbs to the lead after a rainy day in which the breakaway came to a successful conclusion

19º Volta a Galicia
Stage 2: Ponteareas – Ponteareas (143,3 km)

On Thursday, it was hot. Friday, wet. Rainy second day of the Volta a Galicia. And with the liquid element more breakdowns, more punctures, much colder… And more hardness. In Ponteareas Francisco Javier Agea triumphed, while Álex Martín, fourth, managed to climb to the provisional leadership of the Galician race.

Agea and Martín were among the thirteen riders who formed a leading group whose gestation took place after a hundred kilometres of this second stage, after the summits of A Cañiza and A Franqueira and the long downhill stretch of the second one. Martín was not the only representative of the EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team in the leading group: Javi Serrano was also there.

 In the last fifteen kilometres, facing the second and last ascent to the Alto de Vilasobroso, the escapees had an income of a minute and a half that allowed to sense the success of their enterprise. The main peloton worked hard to reduce this advantage, but was only able to neutralise the stragglers when the attacks came from the head of the race. Agea won among the seven riders who practically came together, with Álex taking fourth place, while Javi Serrano finished ninth in the second stage.

In the general classification, Álex Martín is the new leader with 8 seconds over Ramón Fernández and 11 over David Domínguez. Fernando Tercero is fifth, 17 seconds behind his team-mate, and Javier Serrano is ninth, 28 seconds behind. A day with a very positive balance for the U23 team of the Contador Foundation, which now leads the overall team classification and has in Álex Martín the best young rider of the race, for the moment. For this Saturday, the Concello de Muras will be the protagonist. A stage of 149 kilometres that promises strong emotions.

[📷  Álvaro García / Federación Galega de Ciclismo]