Spaniard Alejandro Valverde has won second 175.6km stage of this season’s Voilta a Catalunya which started in Mataro and ended in Valls.
Movistar’s Valverde, after being able to survive the famous Coll de Lilla climb and then some extremely tight turns, started using his last energy sources to end the race beating both Daryl Impey (Mitchelton-Scott) and Jay McCarthy (Bora-Hansgrohe).
“It was a great day, there was a lot of pressure on us because the headwind slowed the race but the team worked extremely well,” he said.
“The team kept me up front, and we picked up the intermediate bonus but the plan wasn’t really to win a stage like this, and when it happens you have to go for it. This win is for my son Ivan, who broke his collarbone playing football.”
Valverde also added that tomorrow, is going to be a tough day for him since he is now fighting to keep the lead.
Second Stage Results
Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Movistar, in 4-41-50
Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton-Scott
Jay McCarthy (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe
Egan Bernal (Col) Team Sky
Matej Mohorič (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
José Joaquín Rojas (Esp) Movistar
Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Team Sky
Toms Skujiņš (Lat) Trek-Segafredo
Alex Howes (USA) EF Education First-Drapac, all same time
General classification after second stage
Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Movistar, in 8-21-09
Jay McCarthy (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 4 secs
Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton-Scott, at 6 secs
Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar, at 11 secs
Matej Mohorič (Slo) Bahrain-Merida, at 12 secs
Bob Jungels (Lux) Quick-Step Floors, at 12 secs
Eduard Prades (Esp) Euskadi-Murias, at 12 secs
Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Bahrain-Merida, at 12 secs
Jordi Simón (Esp) Burgos-BH, at 12 secs
Egan Bernal (Col) Team Sky, at 12 secs
? Qui guanyarà la tercera etapa de la #VoltaCatalunya 2018? // ¿Quién ganará la tercera etapa de la Volta 2018? // Who will win Volta 2018 third stage?
— Volta a Catalunya (@VoltaCatalunya) March 21, 2018
