Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta del Sol - Rune Herregodts pounces from breakaway to seal surprise opening stage victory

Rune Herregodts pounced from a breakaway to take victory in the opening stage of the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta del Sol. The Belgian was part of an eight-rider group that was allowed to build up a significant advantage by the peloton, a gap that eventually proved unassailable. Ad/> Thanks to a cohesive, considered effort from a largely unheralded octet, the breakaway were able to ensure that it would be the remaining six members of their party to contest the win up a devilish final 1500m into the town of Iznajar.

Giro di SiciliaNibali takes emotional stage and overall double triumph on home roads at Tour of Sicily01/10/2021 AT 13:12 And 23-year-old Herregodts had the strongest legs, mouth wide with delight as he sealed a significant victory. «It was a difficult day to go away,» the Sport Vallanderen-Baloise rider explained afterwards. «But it was a large group, which is ideal.

I didn't go to hard at the start, the Belgians gave us a good margin. »The cooperation was great. Nobody skipped their turns.

The last climb, everyone tried to go alone but there were three or four guys who were quite equal. I know after a hard day I can ride quite well so I trusted my sprint. It was great to be with two teammates in the break.

It was really a team effort. /> «It's a very important victory. It's quite a good field.

We are very happy to take a stage here at quite a prestigious race for our team.» Herregodts ended his 2021 season with a solo victory at the Ronde van Drenthe in the Netherlands, and is a rider of burgeoning profile. He beat Stephen Bassett (Human Powered Health) and Ander Okamika (Burgos-BH) up the last ramp, with British EOLO-Kometa rider Mark Christian finishing sixth. Behind Christian came Allessandro Covi, with the