Yesterday's was the second of the three stages that this year's Vuelta has reserved for sprinters, a category of cyclists who in "protest" preferred to desert the Spanish roads almost en masse, knocked out of the game and penalized by the toughness of the route. The first opportunity on Sunday failed due to the surprise extension of the Belgian Lampaert in view of the finish line in Gruissan, Tarragona yesterday awaited the revenge of John Degenkolb, the only one of the world sprint tycoons present in the starlist, or perhaps of wheels as fast as those of Sacha Modolo or the Belgian Edward Theuns.
But once again the predictions were subverted by Matteo Trentin's insight, who is not a pure sprinter but who knows how to win when he isn't forced to overtake other sprint big names like Marcel Kittel. Theuns had to settle for fourth position, Modolo for sixth. Degenkolb, practically dry this season, had remained ensconced in the rear of the race. Trentin gives Italy the second victory after the splendid one won by Vincenzo Nibali in Andorra. With yesterday's success, the Quick-Step Floors rider from Trentino also joins the club of one hundred riders capable of winning at least one stage in the three grand tours of three weeks: Tour, Giro and Vuelta.
If there is one Italian who smiles, there is another who experienced a bitter and unfortunate day: it is Domenico Pozzovivo, involved in a fall a few meters from the start of the fateful 3 km in which the gap due to accidents neutralized. The Lucan co-leader of Ag2R with Romain Bardet, crossing the finish line 149th at 3'25" behind Trentin, fell in the general standings from ninth place to 104th over 4 minutes behind Chris Froome, always in red shirt.
Today the Vuelta returns to the mountains, with a fifth stage from Benicassim to Alcossebre which includes four ascents over a hundred km before the final ascent towards the Eremita de Santa Lucia of 3,4 km with peaks of 20% gradient. A goal that teases coups between the big names. Contador's performance should be checked as he suffered severe stomach pains in the evening which, if they persist, could further penalize the Pistolero's last race.
