Velefique threatens to end the race

Twenty kilometers of climbing and around a thousand meters of elevation gain. Few mountain passes in Spain are as imposing and challenging as Velefique. A colossus that few dare to challenge and which has been a turning point in the Škoda Titan Desert Almería for years.

Because it’s not just the differences that can arise on the climb up and descent down the mountain pass, but also a timed section known as the Škoda Challenge, which awards a 60-second bonus to the fastest male and female riders to complete it. This gap proved crucial, given that the distance between first and second place, Luis Ángel Maté and Luis León Sánchez, was only four seconds.

The riders who have always been at the front of the race were the ones who stood out again in this key stage: Maté, ‘Luisle’, Haimar Zubeldia, Jorge Lamiel, and Pablo Guerrero. This is how they arrived in Senés, the town that marks the start of the time trial climb.

Luis León, a veteran of the race, left the rest of the pack a few seconds ahead. He did this so he could catch up with them on the climb, reach the summit first, and ensure he set the fastest time. Because the Škoda Titan Desert Almería is decided as much by leg power as by brainpower, and the Cleardent team member has plenty of both. The final kilometers, after the descent from Velefique, belonged to Haimar, Luisle, and Maté. The three former colleagues from the WorldTour peloton arrived together at the finish line of the Almería circuit. The rider from Usurbil was the fastest and clinched his first stage win in the race. The queen stage of this edition. The one that will surely decide the GC.

While the men’s classification may be decided, the women’s seems to be completely settled. Natalia Fischer is dominating the women’s peloton. Today she secured her third consecutive victory and extended her lead over ‘Pili’ Fernández to over an hour.

The Estepona native has climbed the Almeria colossus for the first time. That Velefique that she admitted yesterday she had never done before and that today she has mastered like a veteran. She has also set the best time in the Škoda Challenge and snatched that one-minute lead from her rivals.

Fischer once again rode her own race: setting her own pace and trying to be cautious because she knew that the climb and descent were technical. She even allowed herself to enjoy the scenery, as she commented when she reached the finish line: “The climb and descent are beautiful. I really enjoyed them.”

However, the heat and exertion of recent days have taken their toll on the Extremadura Ecopilas rider, as she explained. It certainly didn’t show in her results or her attitude, which have been unquestionable. Everything seems set for the debutant to finish her first participation with a clean sweep of victories and the blue jersey.