2022 Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana (2.Pro)

Friday, February 4: Stage 3, Alicante - Alto de La Antenas del Maigmo Tibi, 155.1 km

Aleksandr Vlasov takes the queen stage. Photo: Bora-hansgrohe/Sprintcycling

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Weather at Tibi, on the route and near the finish at 2:00 PM, local time: 19C (67F), fair, with the wind from the southwest at 8 km/hr (5 mph). No rain is forecast.

The race: Team BikeExchange-Jayco did not start the stage after two team members tested postive for Covid-19 Thursday evening.

Here's the report from winner Aleksandr Vlasov's Bora-hansgrohe team:

Stage three of the Tour of Valencia was the queen stage of the race. Six categorised climbs, a steep gravel ramp to the finish and a total of more than 3600 metres of climbing promised a tough day in the mountains of Valencia. The breakaway of the day was caught with five kilometres to go. Aleksandr Vlasov launched his attack on the steep gravel section two kilometres from the finish line and immediately gained an advantage. Aleksandr took a phenomenal solo stage win and the overall lead of the race.

After being involved in a crash yesterday, Wilco Kelderman did not start today's stage. He is not seriously injured but suffered some bruises and abrasions. In light of his upcoming goals, the decision was taken to focus on a quick recovery and his next races. After a crash in the peloton on today's stage, Matthew Walls also had to leave the race.

“It was super steep and tough on the final climb but I like that kind of climbs. In the end I could take the win and the overall lead which I’m really happy about. I’ve seen a video of the climb and I immediately knew that I would launch my attack in those steep gravel ramps. An important victory for me and a great debut at BORA - hansgrohe. I guess that’s a good base to build on for the next goals.” - Aleksandr Vlasov

“Today we could exactly execute the plan we’ve had. Aleksandr was super strong, attacked on the gravel and took the stage win and overall lead. Unfortunately Wilco and Matthew had to leave the race today.” - Jean-Pierre Heynderickx, Sports Director

Complete results:

155.1 kilometers raced at an average speed of 38.410 km/hr

GC after stage 3:

493.9 kilometers raced so far at an average speed of 39.583 km/hr

Thursday, February 3: Stage 2, Bétera - Torrent, 172.1 km

Fabio Jakobsen makes it two in a row for Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl.

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Weather at the finish city of Torrent at 12:05 PM, local time: 19C (67F), sunny, with the wind from the southwest at 8 km/hr (5 mph). No rain is forecast.

The race: Here's the report from stage winner Fabio Jakobsen's Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl team:

Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl celebrated for the second time in twenty-four hours at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, after Fabio Jakobsen produced a massive acceleration in the last 200 meters of Thursday’s stage to burst clear of his rivals on the uphill finish of Torrent and take a crushing sprint win.

Fabio, who is riding his first stage race since last September’s La Vuelta – where he captured three stage victories and the green jersey – was perfectly placed coming into the finishing stretch after what had been another tremendous job of his Wolfpack teammates, starting with Josef Cerny, who was quintessential in controlling the six-man break, and ending with yellow jersey Remco Evenepoel, who stretched the peloton inside the closing two kilometers, making sure our lead-out train would be in prime position under the flamme rouge.

Always close to the front of the group, the 25-year-old Dutchman was unfazed by the 5% gradient in the hectic finale and launched his sprint as he came off the wheel of an opponent, putting around seven bike lengths into his closest rivals and winning comfortably for Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl’s 850th victory.

“I came here after a normal winter, with no bad luck or setbacks, a winter where I just enjoyed being with the guys and training together on the roads of Spain. Being here with them again, this time in a race, and getting my first win of the season, feels great. Everybody pulled today, all my teammates did a top job and I want to thank them for that. I was where I needed to be for the final 700 meters, which were uphill, and even though I had some small cramps – which is normal, considering how hot it was but also that it’s my first race of the year – I could bring it home. It’s the perfect way to start the season.”

“Two victories in two days – that really is remarkable, but even more remarkable is that we hit 850 victories, which shows what a great team we are. Every win is special and I would like to be here also when the Wolfpack will get its 1000th victory”, Fabio said of the latest milestone reached by Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl on a day which saw teammate Remco Evenepoel successfully defend his yellow jersey after finishing seventh.

Complete results:

172.1 kilometers raced at an average speed of 41.329 km/hr

GC after stage 2:

338.8 kilometers raced so far at an average speed of 40.157 km/hr

Wednesday, February 2: Stage 1, Les Alqueres - Torralba del Pinar, 166.7 km

Remco Evenepoel gets his season going with a bang. Getty Sport photo

Les Woodland's book Cycling's 50 Craziest Stories is available as an audiobook here. For the print and Kindle eBook versions, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Weather at the finish city of Torralba del Pinar at 2:15 PM, local time: 23C (74F), sunny, with the wind from the southeast at 5 km/hr (3 mph). No rain is forecast.

The race: Here's the report from winner Remco Evenepoel's Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl team

Remco Evenepoel needed only one race day to get his maiden victory of the season, and he did it in style, at the end of the hilly 166.7km stage between Les Alqueries and Torralba del Pinar. Comprising four classified climbs, the up-and-down route promised gaps between the general classification contenders and delivered them by the end of the day.

The Wolfpack took charge of the peloton midway through the stage, posting Josef Cerny at the front of the group, where the presence of the Czech ITT Champion was immediately felt, as the gap of the escapees began to drop long before the peloton tackled the penultimate ascent, where Yves Lampaert hit the fore. A strung-out bunch arrived at the bottom of the final hill and Mikkel Honoré soon took over the reins, bringing Evenepoel into position as the group was thinning out on the hard ramps of Torralba del Pinar.

Attacks began coming left and right on the 4.6km ascent, but Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl’s Belgian patiently waited for the steepest part to make his move, and once he got out of the saddle and opened a small gap on his opponents, he was never again seen until the finish. As he crested the climb, Remco had ten seconds in hand, an advantage he kept expanding on the downhill all the way to the line, where the 22-year-old celebrated his 23rd pro victory, one which put him at the top of the overall standings.

“It’s a nice way to start the season, and I’m happy I could repay the team for their hard work today. They were great, did an incredible job and deserve a big thank you! This win is good for the confidence and for the atmosphere as we begin our week here in Valenciana. We knew the finish was hard and the difference could be made only in the final kilometer, so I attacked there and never looked back. Getting the yellow jersey is a bonus, one that rounds out this perfect day”, a smiling Evenepoel said after nabbing the Wolfpack’s first win of the year and becoming the first Belgian in five years to lead Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana.

Complete results:

166.7 kilometers raced at an average speed of 38.99 km/hr

GC after stage one: