Javi Serrano repeats victory and reinforces his lead on a day of extreme heat and great orographic demand
Vuelta Ciclista a Zamora
Stage 2: Bragança-Alcañices (137,5 km)
Javi Serrano scored his second victory as U23 rider a day after making his debut in the category by imposing his top speed over the Ethiopian Mulu Hailemichael and the Uruguayan Eric Fagúndez, with whom he reached the finish line in Alcañices. A victory that reinforces Serrano’s provisional lead, A very demanding second stage, with cobbled sections and several climbs in Portuguese territory. Fran Muñoz was the protagonist of the first third of the race, joining a breakaway of three riders that allowed him to crown first the heights of Sao Lourenço and Argozelo, scoring points that put him first in the general classification of the mountain.
By kilometre 45 there was a regrouping at the head, with the race very selected. Raul Gonzalez (Valverde Team) dropped off, a break followed and the third-year Galician cyclist took more than four and a half minutes lead, an advantage with which he crossed the border between Spain and Portugal and entered the final 50 kilometres. The EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team increased the pace in the bunch and worked to bring down the breakaway, especially in the last of the punctuated climbs, Nuez de Aliste.
González would be chased inside the last 30 kilometres. With 25 km to go, at the height of San Vitero, in an area with many steep slopes and rough roads, Mulu Hailemichael (Caja Rural) made his move and Serrano came out on his wheel. The two would take a few seconds that were increased and consolidated. From behind, only Eric Fagúndez (Cortizo) was able to get there. Serrano, Mulu and Fagúndes reached the last kilometre, in a slight descent, where the rider from Madrid imposed his speed; a first main group reached more than a minute. From then on, a trickle of small groups and riders in a very hard, terrible and demanding stage.
Javi Serrano: “Winning a time trial is not the same as raising your arms after a stage as hard as today. I am very happy for the victory and because everything went perfectly in a very hard stage marked by the heat, with moments above 45 degrees. My team-mates did an amazing job and without them it would have been impossible. I asked them if they could put in a bit of pace when Gonzalez was many minutes ahead and thanks to their work they broke up the breakaway, which at some point looked like it was going to arrive”.
The overall leader from Zamora continues: “I had good legs, I felt good and I thought it was possible to take advantage of it. When Mulu moved, I didn’t hesitate to follow him. I know him well, he recently beat me in the Vuelta a Extremadura, and I knew he had good legs. When he moved it could still be a long way off, but I had to be there. Now it’s time to rest, recover from the efforts and enjoy this streak, that’s all. The Vuelta a Zamora is very long, I don’t think I’ve ever competed in a six-day tour in Spain, and of course we mustn’t be confident, because anything can happen every day”.
This Thursday, 139 kilometres between Fermoselle and Bermillo de Sayago with three climbs in the second half, especially Fermoselle, with three of its five kilometres of very hard climbs where the race can break up.
[📷 @lavueltaazamora]
