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Valverde wins but Michael Woods hangs on to Gran Camiño’s yellow jersey

Rusty takes 10-second lead into Sunday's time trial finale

February 26, 2022
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Michael Woods looks to have one rider standing between himself and the Gran Camiño title, and that’s Alejandro Valverde, who won the penultimate stage on Saturday, earning only bonus seconds on the second-place Canadian. It was the 41-year-old Spaniard’s second win of the season. Woods has a ten-second lead in the Spanish 2.1-rated race going into Sunday’s concluding 15.8-km time trial.

Rusty Woods looked resplendent in the yellow jersey he seized on Friday.

The course had three climbs in the final third: Cat. 2 Alto de Nogueira, Cat. 1 Alto de Seragude and finally the Cat. 1 Alto de Moura, which peaked with 2 km to go.

On the Nogueira, Israel-Premier Tech was sopping up members of the day’s breakaway. Valverde’s team chased the last of the fugitives down the other side.

Hitting the Seragude, Movistar continued to set the pace. Soon, it was Ivan Sosa, Woods and Valverde leading the race, but they received company from behind. Jefferson Cepeda (Ecuador/Drone Hopper) gave them someone to chase on the ascent.

Sosa, Woods and Valverde loose on the Seragude.

Valverde wanted the bonus second available at the foot of Moura and snaffled them up, drawing four seconds closer. Movistar prevented Woods from claiming any. Woods’ Canadian teammate Derek Gee was still in the 22-strong group heading to the race’s climax.

Moura was brutally steep at the start. Woods’ teammate Jakob Fuglsang took over the front. With 5 km to climb and 7 km until the finish, Woods decided to attack first.

Woods attacks on the Moura.

Woods’ efforts re-created the Sosa, Valverde trio. There was no bringing them back on Saturday. Sosa drove the little group into the final kilometre. The two Movistar riders combined to assure a victory.

2022 Gran Camiño Stage 3
1) Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) 3:42:42
2) Michael Woods (Canada/Israel-Premier Tech) s.t.
3) Ivan Sosa (Colombia/Movistar) s.t.

2022 Gran Camiño GC
1) Michael Woods (Canada/Israel-Premier Tech) 12:15:16
2) Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) +0:10
3) Ivan Sosa (Colombia/Movistar) +0:50