Tour of Spain: Majka wins in the summit, Froome resists Nibali

Photo: Jose Jordan, Agence France-Presse
The cyclist of Polish rider Rafal Majka

Sierra de la Pandera — The Polish Rafal Majka (Bora-Hansgrohe), won Saturday’s 14th stage of the Tour of Spain at the summit of the Sierra de la Pandera, in Andalusia, where the red jersey Chris Froome has somehow resisted the onslaught of his runner-up Vincenzo Nibali.

From the break and a party to only 10 km from the goal, Majka, 27 years old, has held off the favourites to clinch his first stage victory on the Vuelta.

This success has a taste of revenge for Majka, removed on the fall of the Tour de France in July and then sick at the beginning of this Tour of Spain and quickly out of the game for the general classification.

“I almost got to go home,” explained the Polish suffering during the first week. “The team has continued to believe in me and I am really excited. It is for them that I won. “

Triple stage winner on the Tour de France, Majka had already picked the color last weekend, but he had failed in 3rd place at the 8th step.

This time, it proved to be the strongest, skewing the company to the last of his breakaway companions to realize a kind of against-the-shows individual in the tough final ascent. “If I had waited, it would have been too late. It was still 10 km away, I put the gas to the bottom “, he smiled.

Now second in the mountains classification behind the Italian Davide Villella, Majka entering the last week with ambition. “The legs are coming back, motivation too. I’m going to try to win another victory, ” he promised.

Arrived 27 seconds behind the Polish, the Colombian Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) took second place, ahead of Italian Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain), third.

The state has tried without success to décramponner Chris Froome (Sky) on the final climb : supported by the Spanish Alberto Contador (Trek), Nibali accelerated on several occasions, but the British returned to the train.

“I had confidence in rolling to a tempo stable because I knew that the climb was long. I think it was the right decision, we’ve kept the energy for the stage tomorrow [Sunday], ” responded Froome.

Claiming day-to-day as the main rival of the British, Nibali has whittled away 4 seconds bonus that will allow him to come back at 55 seconds of the red jersey in the general classification. The Dutchman Wilco Kelderman (Sunweb) completes the provisional podium in 2 min.

On Sunday, a seat at one of the most feared of the test with a top finish of Alto Hoya de la Mora, in the Sierra Nevada, to over 2 500 m of altitude. “This will be one of the most decisive of the Vuelta “, prophesies Froome.

Just before the second rest day on Monday, this short stage (129,4 km) will see the riders climb two passes of 1st category before the final ascent. And this is the step type of nerve which has allowed Contador to blow up the Vuelta 2016 at the expense of Froome.

“Anything can happen “, warned the Spanish (8th in 3 minutes and 19 seconds), at which it remains, “seven days of cycling in the legs” before retiring on the evening of the final stage, the 10 September in Madrid.