Carthy wins at the Vuelta; double Ventoux day for the Tour: Daily News Digest
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The Alto de l’Angliru. It’s one of the toughest and most feared climbs in all of pro cycling. Sunday’s stage 12 of the Vuelta a España ended atop this mythical mountain and as predicted it was the race’s best climbers – the GC contenders – that came to the fore.
You’ll find that and a whole lot more in today’s edition of the CT Daily News Digest. Read on!
Matt de Neef
Managing Editor
What’s News
| Carthy wins stage 12 of the Vuelta, Carapaz back into red
Hugh Carthy (EF Pro Cycling) has taken the first Grand Tour stage win of his career, riding to an impressive solo victory atop the Alto de l’Angliru on Sunday’s stage 12 of the Vuelta.
The Englishman made his move from a heavily reduced group of GC favourites with a little over 1 km to go and battled on to finish 16 seconds ahead of Aleksandr Vlasov (Astana) in second, with Enric Mas (Movistar) and Richard Carapaz (Ineos) in third and fourth on the same time.
Overall leader Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) finished fifth at 26 seconds, which saw Carapaz move back into the red leader’s jersey ahead of the second rest day. The Ecuadorian leads Roglic by 10 seconds.
“It’s a dream come true to win any professional race but to win in a Grand Tour on a mythical climb, it doesn’t get any better than that. It’s hard to put into words,” Carthy said. “I think for the public it’s everything they want, a close race heading into a time trial. It’s everything to play for.”
The Vuelta resumes on Tuesday with the stage 13 ITT. It’s a mainly flat 33.7 km affair … apart from a 1.8 km ramp to the finish line which rises at a punishing 14%.
Stage 12 result
1. Hugh Carthy, EF Pro Cycling, 3:08:40
2. Aleksandr Vlasov, Astana Pro Team, +0:16
3. Enric Mas, Movistar Team, st
4. Richard Carapaz, INEOS Grenadiers, st
5. Primoz Roglic, Team Jumbo-Visma, +0:26
GC after stage 12
1. Richard Carapaz, INEOS Grenadiers
2. Primoz Roglic, Team Jumbo-Visma, +0:10
3. Hugh Carthy, EF Pro Cycling, +0:32
4. Dan Martin, Israel Start-Up Nation, +0:35
5. Enric Mas, Movistar Team, +1:50
| Vuelta riders clarify stage 11 protest
A group of riders at the Vuelta have issued a statement via Twitter, clarifying the protest that happened at the start of stage 11. Teams and riders had expected the 3-second rule would apply at the end of stage 10 (meaning any gaps at the finish of less than three seconds would be counted as the same time) but the UCI Jury changed the rule and reclassified the stage as a hilltop finish, meaning any gaps would stand as they were.
“The riders and teams spend months researching stages extensively and a lot of work goes into team strategy on a daily basis to put lead riders or possible stage contenders into the best position possible,” the riders wrote in their letter. “While we have no issue with the rule being implemented, we object to the fact that the major stakeholders— RIDERS AND TEAMS— were not informed of this critical change by the UCI Jury.
“We were told that it is the right of the UCI to change the rule as they see fit. If teams and riders can spend time and resources analyzing the finish of each stage, then we expect the same from the UCI. This entire situation could have been avoided with some simple research and communication.”
A little statement from the @lavuelta riders pic.twitter.com/LY8bQAGHIh
— Rory Sutherland (@rorysutherland1) November 1, 2020
| Double Ventoux day to headline 2021 Tour de France
ASO has revealed the route for the 2021 Tour de France, a race that will be headlined by two ascents of the mighty Mont Ventoux in one day. Stage 11 will climb Ventoux twice before a downhill finish into Malaucene. It’s the first time a Tour stage will climb ‘The Giant of Provence’ twice in a day.
The 2021 Tour will start with four days in Brittany, including an uphill finish on the challenging Mur-de-Bretagne on stage 2. The Tour was meant to start in Copenhagen but was moved back to France to avoid a conflict with football’s European Championship.
The 2021 Tour will feature two individual time trials, the second of which will be held in Bordeaux on the penultimate day of racing. Stage 15 sees the riders tackle five climbs before a downhill finish in Andorra, while stage 18 is a short 131 km effort but features the climbs of Luz Ardiden and the Col du Tourmalet.
| 2021 La Course to feature the Mur de Bretagne
The 2021 edition of La Course by Le Tour de France will be held in Brittany and will feature no fewer than six ascents of the Mur-de-Bretagne.
The women’s peloton will contest the eighth edition of La Course on June 27 – the same day the men tackle the Mur-de-Bretagne on stage 2.
At 130 km, the 2021 La Course will be the longest edition in the race’s history.
| Lizzie Deignan and Elisa Longo Borghini extend with Trek-Segafredo
Two of Trek-Segafredo’s biggest names are set to spend another two years with the organisation after renewing their contracts. Both Lizzie Deignan and Elisa Longo Borghini will race with Trek-Segafredo through to the end of 2022.
Deignan had planned to retire at the end of 2020, after the Tokyo Olympics, but ended up extending her career. “I think the fact that I’m enjoying my job so much and experiencing such an enjoyable team environment means that I feel motivated to continue further and not just draw a line on my career next year,” said the 2015 world champion. “I don’t see a reason to stop when everything is going so well.”
Longo Borghini, meanwhile, will also target the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics. “I’m happy to have extended my contract with Trek-Segafredo,” the Italian said. “The team started last year, and I felt immediately that this could be a place where I can do my job in the best way possible. My ambitions next year will be for sure the Olympic Games and the Classics.”
Follow the link to read more at CyclingTips.
| Confirmed: Tour Down Under and Cadel’s Race cancelled in 2021
We reported it last week and now it’s been confirmed by race organisers: both the Santos Tour Down Under and the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race have been cancelled for 2021 due to coronavirus complications.
“The complexities and risks involved with quarantining and international border closures have ultimately proved too much to ask of some of the teams, who have endured a stressful, challenging and compressed 2020 season that will run later than normal, ” said Tour Down Under director Hitaf Rasheed.
Cadel’s Race organisers offered a similar explanation: “Unfortunately, due to the ongoing global pandemic, a number of UCI WorldTour teams have decided to stay in Europe due to uncertainty around international travel conditions and logistics of quarantine requirements,” a statement read.
The 2021 Jayco Herald Sun Tour was cancelled back in August. An announcement regarding the 2021 Road National Championships is expected today.
Click through to read more at CyclingTips.
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Today’s featured image comes from Cor Vos and shows Hugh Carthy riding to victory on stage 12 of the Vuelta a España.
The post Carthy wins at the Vuelta; double Ventoux day for the Tour: Daily News Digest appeared first on CyclingTips.