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Vuelta a España 2019 stage 3: Ibi. Ciudad del Juguete > Alicante 188 km

Stage 3 of la Vuelta is a stage from Ibi to the city of Alicante.


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Even though the stage isn't flat, it is nonetheless likely to be one for the sprinters.

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The stage starts in Ibi, which is home to the Els Enfarinats festival, which involves participants "taking over" the city in a coup d'etat and throwing flour and eggs to demonstrate their authority, and involves a race to decide the person, who will become mayor.

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The first half of the stage is mostly flat, before the riders ascent two rather short Puertos, Biar and Tibi, with average inclines of approx. 4-5%, before descending down to the coastal tourist city of Alicante, who hasn't hosted a big race this century besides this years Tour of Valencia. All in all a quiet stage should not be surprising, but then again, riders make the race. And a weather forecast predicting a shower or thunderstorm tells that riders, GC contenders especially must be vigilant.


General classification on the eve of stage 3:

  1. Nicholas ROCHE (Sunweb)
  2. Nairo QUINTANA (Movistar) + 2''
  3. Rigoberto URAN (EF) + 8''
  4. Mikel NIEVE (M. Scott) + 22''
  5. Miguel Angel LOPEZ (Astana) + 33''
  6. Primoz ROGLIC (Jumbo) + 36''
  7. Wilco KELDERMAN (Sunweb) + 38''
  8. Sergio HIGUAITA (Euskadi) + 40''
  9. Davide FORMOLO (Bora) + 46''
  10. Rafal MAJKA (Bora) st.

Points classification:

  1. Nairo QUINTANA (Movistar) 25
  2. Nicholas ROCHE (Sunweb) 20
  3. Primoz ROGLIC (Jumbo) 17

KOM competetion:

  1. Angel MADRAZO (Burgos) 8
  2. Alejandro VALVERDE (Movistar) 5
  3. Sander ARMEE (Lotto) 4

Weather in Alicante:

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Reactions: Pantani_lives
I don’t mind the occasional mass gallop sprint finish as long as they have to survive a few obstacles in order to fight it out rather get it handed on a plate.

Tomorrow seems fair enough for a durable sprinter to win by clearing the climb within reach of the lead group.

Crosswinds would be fun. Tipping Sam Bennett on the assumption that he pulled the pin on his effort seeing it as futile rather than because he was already suffering. If not then Mezgec has great legs judging by recent races and finishing in group 3 with guys like Fuglsang and Kruijswijk.
 
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Reactions: Sandisfan
It looks like it will be very (cross)-windy tomorrow.
On the subject of weather; the gota fría is forecast to arrive in Valencia region tomorrow. This is where the cold air currents coming down from the Pyrenees meet warm air from the Mediterranean and it creates torrential rain, and I mean really torrential, as well as strong gusty winds.

Even though it's a mostly flat stage there could be absolute carnage.
 
On the subject of weather; the gota fría is forecast to arrive in Valencia region tomorrow. This is where the cold air currents coming down from the Pyrenees meet warm air from the Mediterranean and it creates torrential rain, and I mean really torrential, as well as strong gusty winds.

Even though it's a mostly flat stage there could be absolute carnage.
A true gota fría over the race will automatically trigger the extreme weather protocol.
 
  • Wow
Reactions: Sandisfan
Should be easy for Burgos to defend Madrazo. Just don't let Pierre Latour or Alejandro Valverde (lol) go in the break. There's only 6 points on the line, so only Latour, Valverde, Armee and Lastra are even mathematically able to take the jersey off him today. He'll be best served saving his energy for stage 5 and try to take max points on Alcubias and Rubielos, then sit up and try to do the same with the first two climbs of stage 6, or go in the break on stage 7.
 

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