Wellens: “There are no ups without downs”
October 24 th 2020
Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal): “It feels super good. I had a very difficult period because I had a big crash before the Tour de France. There are no ups without downs. It makes this victory even better. Today was a special day because we raced for two hours before the break was gone. It was super hard. And then we were lucky enough to go for it with three riders at the front,. The cooperation was super good. We were about at the same lead but I got the victory in the end. It was the team goal for La Vuelta and now we can ride with less stress and maybe get another victory with myself or my teammates. I was not so confident because I had the impression we were about as strong. I was surprised when Guillaume Martin stayed a bit behind after the first attack. And I went full gas to the line.”
Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) won stage 5 of La Vuelta 2020 at the end of an action-packed day with many attacks over the hills leading to Sabiñanigo. The Belgian already displayed his aggressive style in the first days and made it to another breakaway after 100km of battle from Huesca. Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) and Thymen Arensman (Sunweb) were with him at the front all the way to Sabiñanigo but they couldn’t match Wellens’ push on the uphill finish. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) dominated the sprint in the bunch to assert his grip on La Roja ahead of Sunday’s mountain stage. Dan Martin (Israel Start-Up Nation) crashed in the final metres.
Most of the 167 riders at the start of stage 5 expected the early attackers to shine in Sabiñanigo and many of them wanted to be up there. Martin Salmon (Sunweb) attacked in the first kilometre and 13 others quickly joined him: Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), Cattaneo (Deceuninck-Quick Step), Costa (UAE Team Emirates), Power, Salmon, Storer (Sunweb), Fraile (Astana), Seigle (Groupama-FDJ), Woods (EF Pro Cycling), Barta (CCC), Edmonson (Mitchelton-Scott), Dewulf (Lotto-Soudal), G. Martin, Barcelo (Cofidis) and Ligthart (Total Direct Energie). But that strong group doesn’t get away.
EF Pro Cycling, Caja Rural-Seguros RGA and Burgos-BH were determined not to let the breakaway go without them. The gap never got higher than 40’’. Many riders counter-attack, and Michael Woods (EF Pro Cycling) bridges the gap at km 64. But the attackers are caught 5km later. Rémi Cavagna (Deceuninck-Quick Step) and Andrey Amador (Ineos Grenadiers) try their luck.
Attacks keep flying and 12 riders get away inside the last 90km, including Jumbo-Visma’s Sepp Kuss. Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) and Thymen Arensman (Sunweb) attack from that group with 79km to go. Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) joins them in the fist climb of the day, the Alto de Vio (cat 2). Their chasers are caught by the pack, trailing by 2’50’’ at the summit.
Roglic dominates, Dan Martin crashes
Wellens collects the KOM points and the attackers increase the gap to the Ineos-led peloton: 3’27’’ atop the Alto de Fanlo, with 47km to go. Ineos Grenadiers give up on the chase with 32km to go. Total Direct Energie take over at the bottom of the final climb, the Alto de Fanlo, but the leading trio maintain a 3’ gap at the summit, with 17km to go. Romain Sicard (Total Direct Energie) gives up on the chase inside the last 15km.
Tim Wellens, Guillaume Martin and Thymen Arensman work together until the last kilometre. Arensman attacks at the flamme rouge but Wellens jumps on his wheel and dominates the uphill finish ahead of Martin. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) is the strongest from the group to finish 4th while Dan Martin (Israel Start-Up Nation) hits the deck with David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) in the final hectometres but they’re all in the same time.
STAGE RESULT
1. Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal), in 04H 19′ 25”
2. Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), + 4”
3. Thymen Arensman(Team Sunweb), + 12”
INDIVIDUAL GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Primoz Roglic (Team Jumbo-Visma)
2. Daniel Martin (Israel Start-Up Nation), + 5”
3. Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers), + 13”
