Brave attack in la Bonaigua

Alejandro Valverde showed his courage in the Pyrenees last stage of the Tour de France. Alejandro Valverde  attacked near the start line in the ramps of the Port de la Bonaigua, with Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) and Sergio Henao (Team Sky). They all contacted with a large group with the Movistar riders Jesus Herrada and Winner Anacona. Thanks to both of them, Valverde reached the top 1 minute ahead of the rest of favorites, after Contador stopped and later abandoned with fever.

The difference increased even 2 minutes in the descent of La Bonaigua. However, the work of Team Sky forced Valverde to slow down to allow the other riders to contest the stage win. In the final climb to Ordino, he set his pace to finish less than 1 minute behind Chris Froome and Nairo Quintana.

Quotes: “It was a really demanding stage. The team behaved well overall; we tried to go after that move with Contador, knowing that we had team-mates at the front, but once Alberto wasn’t able to keep up the pace I couldn’t be there either, because if I did, the break just wouldn’t go forward. All in all, Nairo did his job well, keeping Froome’s wheel; my job, in turn, got way harder with the final pace, the rain and the efforts from the day, and I could just go on my own, staying with Kreuziger’s group and pushing with all I had until the finish. Froome unbeatable at the moment? So I feel Nairo is, too. There’s still a long way to go in this Tour – you must attack when it’s your real time. You never know when it comes. Contador’s abandon? It was sad; he had already told me he was suffering from fever this morning. All my best wishes to him!”

Photo: Movistar Team