A MONSTER of a climb on the Volta Catalunya Queen Stage shakes up the GC podium. Meanwhile the E3 Harelbeke is settled by a three-up, track-standing sprint finale!
Catalunya Stage 5: Valls to Lo Port (Tortosa), 182km
Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) left Chris Froome (Sky) and Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) in his wake to take a superb solo victory atop Tortosa – his second of the race. The Spaniard lit the blue touch paper after teammate Marc Soler put in an immense effort, sailing off in the final kilometre straight into the leaders’s jersey. He now holds 21secs on Froome with Contador in third at +47secs.
Highlights, we pick it up with 4km to go…
BMC’s Tejay van Garderen suffered on the climb and lost the race lead. This was a nice touch after the contretemps between the two teams…
Young stars SHINE…
Embed from Getty ImagesFull report at Cycling News.
Race Website Race Twitter #VoltaCatalunya
E3 Harelbeke: Harelbeke to Harelbeke, 206.1km
Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) out-sprinted Philippe Gilbert (Quick Step Floors) and Ag2r-La Mondiale’s Oliver Naesen to take his first E3 Harelbeke title. In an all Belgian finale, Van Avermaet kept a cool head to outfox his countrymen in a track-standing three up sprint. Watch out for Gilbert’s riding while looking over his shoulder – track sprinter style – it’s impressive.
Highlights…
Tommeke’s last E3 Harelbeke *sobs* – and YES he did attack on the Taaienberg. The 5-time winner finished 8th today and was celebrated at the start…
A first podium for the brown and blue kit in a Flanderian classic for thirteen years. Won’t be the last!
It was not such a a good day at the races for the Rainbow Warrior…
Or Sep Vanmarcke…
Full report at Cycling News. Our race review is here
Race Website Race Twitter #RBE3H
Header image: Alejandro Valverde © PGS/Tim De Waele/Corbis via Getty Images
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