🇪🇸 RACE: @VCANDALUCIA It was very close for @AlexeyLutsenko3 today but he finishes second on this explosive 🧨 stage. #68RdS #AstanaQazaqstanTeam 📷 @GettySport
Astana rethinks Andalucia strategy after Lutsenko fails to grab win: "Tomorrow me and all our team will ride 100% for Miguel Ángel"
CyclingSaturday, 19 February 2022 at 20:30
After a brutal day of racing, Astana Qazaqstan Team put in a brilliant performance in breaking up the race. However without reaching the finish with a stage win or the race lead, the team's tactics were rightfully questioned as Wout Poels took advantage of the team's work to put himself in the race lead, besides taking the stage win in front of Alexey Lutsenko.
The Kazakh climber went on to explain what had happened during the day: “There were many attacks on the first climb and in a moment I decided to follow a group of riders and Harold Tejada also was up there, while in a few seconds Miguel Angel Lopez joined us as well. I came in front to pull the group and to open a gap to the peloton and it worked well," he mentions, as Astana worked to break up the peloton to pieces and distance race leader Alessandro Covi.
"Later, we worked really hard all together in our group to keep the advantage. It was a tough race, but together with Harold and Miguel Angel we stayed together in the group and step by step our advantage was growing up."
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He then went on to explain how he made the decisive move, however took with him an unwanted passenger in Poels, who snatched what would've been a great final move by Astana: “In the end I just missed some energy in the legs. It was a very intense stage and we all had to work a lot to keep the gap to the peloton. Also, after my win at the Clásica Jaén all these days I did not feel that good and, definitely, I missed some freshness at the finish. However, it was a good try to bring the team another victory. With some 15 kilometers to go I saw a few riders attacking from our group. In a moment when we caught them back I decided to attack and only Poels was able to follow me. We opened a small gap, so I thought it could be a chance to fight for a stage win. But, at the end of the day I finished second”
“Tomorrow we have the final stage with an uphill finish. So, tomorrow me and all our team will ride 100% for Miguel Angel to help him to win the General Classification. It won’t be easy as there are many strong climbers here in the peloton, but we are motivated to do our best for our team leader," he concluded.
The plan is clear for the final stage of the Vuelta a Andalucia however Astana will not only need to ride a strong race but to also hope Wout Poels struggles in the summit finish at Chiclana de Segura, as there are no bonifications but there are eigth seconds to reel back in.
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