Frenchman Rudy Molard on Wednesday took the overall lead of the Vuelta a Espana after a serious accident on last year’s edition, while Marc Soler of Team UAE Emirates gave the home fans a win as stage five finished in Bilbao.
South African Daryl Impey of Israel Premier Tech was second and Briton Fred Wright of Bahrain Victorious was third after the main contenders allowed an escape group to get away in the Basque Country hills.
Groupama-FDJ’s Molard ended the 187.2km stage run on narrow winding roads through forested hills just 2 seconds ahead of Wright in the overall standings.
Photo: AP
Molard also wore the Vuelta a Espana overall leader’s red jersey for four days in 2018, but has had a turbulent time since.
“I had a bad accident and didn’t know if I’d make it back, then I got a very severe case of COVID, but here I am leading a Grand Tour, it’s a very emotional moment,” Molard said.
Molard got caught in a pileup on last year’s Vuelta and was transported to a Santander hospital where he began a slow recovery process.
Photo: AFP
The 32-year-old, who suffered a punctured lung in the crash, said it was a big day for him and he had felt it ahead of the race.
“I told my teammates it was possible to do it today and I did it today. It feels so good,” Molard said.
It was an agonizing moment for Wright, who would have donned the red jersey yesterday had he pipped Impey to the line.
“I’m sure there will be better days. It’s a shame, but I tried. What can you do?” the 23-year-old Londoner said.
Wright leads the under-25s category.
Soler broke away near the top of the Alto de Vivero climb, the fifth such ascent of the stage, and always appeared to have the legs to take the break all the way.
“It was amazing,” the Catalan said.
“It was very difficult to get in the escape this morning. I tried my luck at the end and did well on the descent,” he said of the run into the finish line near Bilbao’s landmark Guggenheim Museum.
Next year’s Tour de France starts with three days in the Basque Country and the organizers were in Spain to get a taste of the upcoming action.
“We can’t wait to see that on the Tour, all the fervor and passion from the fans,” Tour de France general director Christian Prudhomme said.
With temperatures creeping up past 30°C on sections of the route, crowds came out in numbers, dressed in their orange Vuelta T-shirts lining the hill routes.
Victor Langellotti took the polka dot best climber’s jersey, while Sam Bennett retained the best sprinter’s green jersey.
Yesterday’s stage was the first true mountain challenge for the pretenders to the title as the race was due to go through the back country of Santander and culminate in a 13km climb with steep gradients.
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