©BettiniPhoto
LA VUELTA 2017. STAGE 5. SUPERB VICTORY BY ALEXEY LUTSENKO
23/08/2017 - It has been an incredible day in Spain for the Astana Pro Team at La Vuelta.
The fifth stage of the 2017 edition has been won by the Kazakh talent, Alexey Lutsenko, who entered in the breakaway at the beginning of the stage, attacked with other two riders at 30 km to go and then distanced the last one who survived at his rhythm when the last climb to the finish line was starting, at 3 km to go.
“I’m super super happy!” said Lutsenko after the finish.
“I pushed so hard on the pedals the entire day – continued the Kazakh –and in the final I gave everything I had on the final climb… I prepared very cautiously this Vuelta, after my bad fall at the Tour de France I wanted to demonstrate what I can really do.”
“The final climb was not long but I’m not a climber so I wanted to start it all alone at the front and for this reason I attacked immediately before the climb – explained Lutsenko– it has been a very great day!”.
For Lutsenko this is the first stage victory in a grand tour.
From behind the breakaway there was some fight among the GC contenders and in this ‘explosive’ final our captain for the GC, Fabio Aru, was able to contain the gap from the Leader at 11 seconds only, finishing 20th on the finish line.
In the GC Aru kept the 7th position at 49 seconds from the British, Christopher Froome.
Tomorrow, sixth stage of La Vuelta 2017, from Vila-Real to Sagunt, 204.4 km and 2600 meters of positive drop: there will be several difficult climb (not long but steep) but normally the GC contenders should not fight for the stage victory.
;