Sepulveda triumphs on first summit finish of the Tour de San Luis, snatches lead
Argentinean rider Eduardo Sepulveda struck late on the El Amago climb at the end of Thursday's Stage 4 of the Tour de San Luis to take his third professional win and pull on the race's yellow-green and white leader's jersey.
Argentinean rider Eduardo Sepulveda struck late on the El Amago climb at the end of Thursday’s Stage 4 of the Tour de San Luis to take his third professional win and pull on the race’s yellow-green and white leader’s jersey.
A dozen riders escaped early in the stage and pulled out a 7:00 gap over the peloton. By the time the breakaway hit the slopes of the Cat. 3 Alto De La Candela leading to the Cat. 1 Alto Del Amago, it was a septet. Further splintering occurred on the climb as the peloton closed in. Gonzalo Najar of local squad Sindicato Empleados Públicos of San Juan was the last to surrender on the Candela.
The Cerro Del Amago is 10.5-km of 7.2% with a maximum of 11.5%. A large group containing all the GC favourites hit its foot with Etixx-QuickStep driving the pace. Race leader Peter Koning (The Netherlands/Drapac) lost contact with the group. Movistar swarmed the front to whittle away the numbers.
Nairo Quintana’s brother Dayer (Movistar) made the first major dig with 8-km to go on the climb and 10-km to the finish. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Astana) began to fall back.
The local broadcast coverage was terribly confusing and one frustrated wag likened it to modern art.
Not so much TV coverage as an avant-garde Kenneth Anger film with random images of cyclists, sounds, pop music and stills. #TourdeSanLuis
— Cycle Sport (@cyclesportmag) January 21, 2016
Janier Acevedo (Colombia/Jamis) lit out after Dayer and left his compatriot behind with 6-km remaining. Then it was Sepulveda of French team Fortuneo-Vital Concept who attacked to nose ahead of the Colombians. With 4-km remaining he had a minute over Dayer Quintana and 1:45 over Nairo Quintana.
Sepulveda crested alone and then had a 2-km flat and downhill run into the finish. Acevedo was runner-up, Dayer fourth and Nairo seventh. Dayer is three-seconds behind Sepulveda on GC and brother Nairo is 42-seconds in arrears.
The peloton will face a lumpy stage with a rise to the finish on Friday before Saturday’s queen stage with a three-stage climb to the line.
2016 Tour de San Luis Stage 4
1) Eduardo Sepulveda (Argentina/Fortuneo-Vital Concept) 4:00:35
2) Janier Acevedo (Colombia/Jamis) +0:54
3) Roman Villalobos (Costa Rica/Costa Rica) +1:34
2016 Tour de San Luis GC
1) Eduardo Sepulveda (Argentina/Fortuneo-Vital Concept) 12:00:16
2) Dayer Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) +0:03
3) Rodrigo Contreras (Colombia/Etixx-QuickStep) +0:38
