RUTA DEL SOL - Stage 3

Mountainous, technical, and racing open throttle most of the day made Stage 3 was another doozy here at the Ruta del Sol.

Three days is enough time in an early season race for guys to start getting tired, grumpy, and annoyed, so the decision was that full-gas racing neutralized some of the passive-aggressive locker boxing between increasingly irritable and tired riders.

The climbs came early and often, and it wasn’t long before things were splitting up. Despite feeling a dent in my legs from the past two days, I was responding well with the early moves and timing my efforts to be in front on some tricky downhills.

Before long, we had a group of 10 or so of away and driving it. The race was still on behind us and more and more riders began to bridge across. It’s times like these in a race that is such a delicate balance between mental and physical as team tactics come into play. You know full commitment is needed to force a move away, but that proves risky with so much racing and climbing still to come.

Fortunately, all of our guys were riding really strong and heads up. Before long, we had six of us, including Jack, in a strong split of about 40 riders. Missing were the top two riders on GC, so it was up to us and Bahrain to keep the pace high and put Astana under pressure.

I took some hard but steady pulls hoping that our powerhouse duo of Alexes could then take over when things flattened out. The race leader showed some impressive strength and timing to bridge across to us, and then the race reopened with attacks flying, so we took turns covering to keep Jack rested and quiet.

It would take over 60 kilometers for a group to get a little distance and we were solid with Zeits in there, also our highest rider on GC, in the move to keep the pressure on Astana.

It was a strong situation for us, but that meant a more relentless pace over the coming climbs. Our bigger guys did a super job of hanging tough and staying with us. We made a strong move after the final 8-km climb to send Jack into the crucial corner at 3 km to go in perfect position. From here, the GC guys started attacking and quickly separated themselves. Jack was all over them.

It looked like he was poised to make a run for the win when he and Dylan Teuns were directed into the car deviation and missed the final corner with about 200 meters to go. So frustrating! I’d say this finish was a bit over the top in terms of safe road conditions. Another reminder that race organizers are searching for more and more for massive drama as much as quality racing. I’m just thankful it wasn’t wet! Regardless, we can be buoyed by how strong the team was all day.

Tomorrow, we have a shorter day, but with the hardest climb of the race then a downhill and flat finish. It’s a climb we all know well from Sierra Nevada training camps and I’m sure will be decisive.

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