The fourth day of the Andalucía Bike Race by GARMIN has taken the riders to Villafranca de Córdoba to compete in the time trial stage. The first starts from the ramp located in the Fairgrounds of the Cordovan city have been at 10 in the morning, while the Elite runners have taken the start from 12. Ahead, 31 kilometers of a constant up and down with the climbs to Los Rafaeles and ‘La Risa’ as the highlights.
Irina Luetzelschwab and Katazina Sosna (Team Torpado BULLS Swiss) were the fastest in the women’s category and set the best time from the first intermediate point. Both have been able to maintain their rhythm throughout the day and have ended up taking the stage victory and the lead in the general classification. “We have finally managed to wear the leaders’ jersey, which was our goal, and now we want to keep it until the end.”
The leaders until today, Stefanie Dohrn and Lejla Njemcevic (Canyon Allebike), have finished third in the stage and have given up the leaders’ jersey by a minute and a half. Second in the stage were Janina Wüst and Txell Figueras (BUFF®-Megamo Team), who were the first leaders of the race. Despite the fact that Sosna and Luetzelschwab have opened the margin, the general classification is still very close between the three couples that occupy the podium.
In the men’s category, Wout Alleman and Fabian Rabensteiner (Wilier Pirelli Factory) continue to lead the race with an iron fist and have added their third consecutive victory, which strengthens them in the lead. “Today was an important day and we are very happy. The time trial stage is always a bit difficult, but we felt very strong again from the start and we were able to get another victory. Now is the time to control the race and take home the leaders’ jersey.”
The Wilier Pirelli Factory duo already leads by more than five minutes their immediate pursuers in the general standings, Francesco Failli and Riccardo Chiarini (Taddei Factory Team), who finished fifth in the time trial stage. The stage podium was completed by Enrique Morcillo and Hugo Drechou (BUFF®-Megamo Team), with the second best time with their teammates José Dias and Hans Becking, third.
After the time trial stage in Villafranca de Córdoba, the race will travel tomorrow to Córdoba to play the Skoda Super Stage, the longest stage of this edition with just over 92 kilometres. The route will be similar to the one experienced last year, but with some new features. The race will start towards La Canchuela and from there a new section called ‘La Cuesta del Hielo’ will begin, recovered from the first editions of the race. Later, the runners will pass by the Elephant Fountain, the Fangorn forest and the mythical climb of El Reventón.