Van Aert, imperial, repeats success in the Vuelta a España

Committed to competition and spectacle, the riders offered more fun in fewer kilometers —the organization decided to shorten the stage due to the permanent punishment of the sun—, a stage as demanding for the cyclists as exciting for the spectators, a profile full of sawtooth where the heat did not prevent cold sweats nor the show of Van Aert, who achieved his fifth stage in the Vuelta, second in the edition, after winning a sprint among the five escapees.

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Enric Mas joked at the start of the Vuelta that it wouldn’t be bad if the fans put heaters on the roadside, since he admitted he prefers to race under 40 degrees rather than 20º. But it was not necessary and even the maillot rojo backed down, as the scourge of the heatwave —which stretches from August until now— does not cease, to the point that it was not unusual to see a Carapaz teammate, in the middle of the climb to Loja, a couple of days ago, grab a bottle and pour water on the Ecuadorian, already struggling on the slopes and under the relentless sun. It turns out that the riders have discovered an opponent without a race number. The thermometer, the heat, is abrasive and almost every day it hovers around 40 degrees —this Sunday it was exceeded—, an oven on Andalusian roads. Hence the organization decided in previous days to give more freedom in the feed zones, which has led teams to triple the distribution of bottles per stage, from about 80 to 250.

Water joins the ice vests that cyclists put on before and after the workday, as well as frozen bags rubbed on the neck and arms, also legs, during the race. “If it gets hotter we will have to hold a meeting among all because it would be dangerous to start,” warned, even overwhelmed by the high temperatures. And the leader’s lament came true, as the organization, attentive to the protocol for extreme temperatures, resolved, together with the College of Commissaires, team representatives, riders, and race direction, to prune this Sunday’s stage from 189.7 kilometers to 110, 2 very broken and peppered with two third-category climbs and a flat finish.

The reduction of the route resulted in a very vibrant stage, hills and slopes, torture for the legs, and opening the window of nerves and agitation because a good breakaway could find the prize if the teams did not understand each other, less time to maneuver and more anxiety. Thus, the Vuelta director, Javier Guillén, waved the flag from the car, and a handful of cyclists shot off, eager for their treasure. But the peloton, for once, mainly expressed by Armirail for Visma, as well as the generosity of Cofidis, was not willing to give an inch to a large group and right from the start the riders went single file, speed and more speed, little to give away. Although the wear of some and the persistence of others, eager to move, led to an escape of 11 riders.

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The pace was so fast, the peloton well lined up, that not all cyclists could keep up, as if Hansel left breadcrumbs in his wake, exhausted those who now survive rather than compete. But there are those with goals, such as Cofidis and Visma in the finishes marked as probable mass sprints; and there are those with strength, like the 11 cyclists who took an unsuccessful pulse against the world. There are also strategists, like the UAE team, which upon reaching the Puerto de Artafi, decided to set the pace to wear everyone down and propel Gogl’s attack, as well as drop sprinters, fewer candidates for the final victory. And, of course, there are kamikazes like Leknessund (Uno-X), already a stage winner, who with 30 kilometers to the finish made the break of the break… Alongside him, shortly after joined Debruyne (Alpecin), Nys (Lidl-Trek) and Romele (Astana), as well as Van Aert (Visma). And that was already serious because few have the engine of the Belgian, a classics specialist by vocation, happy with the stage’s orography, and champion by definition.

Like the ogre of the escapees, Hulk on a bike, Van Aert attacked with 17 kilometers to go. He did not get his way. But he knew he had the best legs and limited himself to controlling the ambitions of the other four riders to launch in the last meters and prove that there is no tougher, more resilient, and more effective rider in the peloton. He raised his arms when the rest cursed, although everyone sighed with relief because the storm, for a few hours, had passed.

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