Canadian Michael Woods (Israel Premier Tech) won the third of four stages of the Route d’Occitanie on Saturday, cut for climbers, between Sigean (Aude) and the ski resort of Les Angles (Pyrénées-Orientales).
188.7 kilometers long (4,058 m of elevation) and punctuated by five passes – including three first category – this stage was expected as the justice of the peace of this Route d’Occitanie.
Leader after his success the day before at Roquefort, the young Spaniard Roger Adria could not keep up with the pace and gave up his tunic to the winner of the day. The latter now has the cards in hand to win the final classification on Sunday.
The Spanish climber Igor Arrieta (Kern Pharma) led this stage for a long time, finding himself alone in the lead 60 kilometers from the finish. Chased by the Ineos and Arkea-Samsic teams, respectively for Pavel Sivakov and Nairo Quintana, the fugitive was caught just before the Col des Hares (11.1 km at 6.2%), 40 kilometers from the finish.
The two announced favorites for this stage finally cracked in this main difficulty of the day. Michael Woods and the young Spanish hopeful Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos) then took the opportunity to break away 20 kilometers from the goal.
Big losers of the day, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Nairo Quintana never managed to come back, leaving Woods to raise his arms at the end of the final climb (2.7 km at 6.8%) and after having dropped Rodriguez in the last two kilometers.
Sunday, the riders will join Auterive (Haute-Garonne) for the final arrival at the end of a stage promised to the sprinters. The Frenchman Arnaud Démare, already winner of the first stage on Thursday, will once again be the big favourite.
France Media Agency
Source: Radio-Canada
