A second week decidedly placed under the sign of breakaways. As since the first rest day, the 12th stage of The Return – the shortest of these three weeks of racing with only 137.4 km to go – smiled on the bold this Thursday, with the superb and unexpected victory of Pablo Castrillo at the top of the ski resort of Manzaneda! Coming out alone 9 kms from the group of ten who approached the final climb with almost eight minutes in advance, the 23-year-old Spaniard was never caught to win the first bouquet of his young career. A historic and emotional WorldTour success for the ProTeam Kern Pharma Teamwho learned there qOnly a few hours after the death of its founder Manolo Azcona… It’s hard to make a more beautiful tribute.
Video – Pablo Castrillo and Kern Pharma’s emotion after the arrival
First Spanish victory, blank day for the favourites
It is also the first Spanish success in this 79th edition of the Tour of Spain. On the line, Pablo Castrillo eight seconds ahead Max Poole (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL), le Britannique enchclassant a second consecutive podium after sa 3e place lit is already on the evecalled. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) completes the podium 16″ ahead Mauro Schmid (Team Jayco AlUla) et Jhonatan Narvaez (INEOS Grenadiers). As for the favourites, nothing to report on this last climb which was too smooth and not difficult enough. The Red jersey group crossed the line more than 6 minutes behind the winner with all the contenders for the general classification in its midst. A positive day therefore for Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) and status quo in the general classification.
The race summary
As in the last two days, the battle to take the breakaway – the latter having a good chance of going all the way given the course – rages at the start of the race. After a very fast first 40 kilometres on roads that are hillier than the profile suggests, a group of ten riders finally manages to escape the peloton and take off. a fine group of adventurers made up of Pablo Castrillo (Kern Pharma team), Louis Meintjes (Intermarche – Wanty), Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates), Jhonatan Narvaez, Oscar Rodriguez (INEOS Grenadiers), Max Poole (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL), Mauro Schmid (Team Jayco AlUla), Harold Tejada (Astana Qazaqstan Team), Mauri Vansevenant (Soudal Quick-Step) et Carlos Verona (Lidl – Trek).
Coming out at the wrong time, Michael Woods (Israel – Premier Tech) and Laurens Huys (Arkéa – B&B Hotels) did not manage to make the junction and finally resigned themselves to being caught by a peloton led calmly by the team Decathlon AG2R The World. Very quickly, the gap soars and reaches 7 minutes at 80 kilometers from the finish. No doubt possible, the victory will be played out between the 10 in front! Logically, not much to report until the foot of the judge of the peace of the day, a long final climb but far from frightening with its 15.4 km at only 4.7% average.
Beautiful Pablo Castrillo, status quo for the general
The lead of the ten fugitives exceeded ten minutes for a time, then was reduced to eight as they began the final climb. Carlos Verona is the first to accelerate, but Marc Soler brings back his compatriot. Moment chosen by Pablo Castrillo to counter a little over 9 km from the finish! The team’s rider Kern Pharma comes out well and digs into his pursuers, who have trouble getting along and attack one after the other. His lead rises to almost 30 seconds on Soler, Narvaez, Schmid et Poole. Despite a final blow from the Briton, Castrillo resisted until the end and won a historic victory for him and his team… On the favorites’ side, no one took the initiative to attack, so it was a red jersey group of 20 units that crossed the line together more than 6 minutes behind the winner.
