Victory for Direct Energie at Stage 1 of the Vuelta a Andalucia 2018

An impressive finish from Thomas Boudat of Direct Energie today on stage one of the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol 2018. He crossed the line ahead of Education First rider Sacha Modolo, who missed an easy win after a fantastic delivery from something we’ve never seen before- a sprint train powered by Cannondale. There were five protagonists on the opening day of the race; Silvan Dillier, Romain Sicard, Lluis Guillermo Mas, Garikoitz Bravo, and Txomin Juaristi who at one point looked like they might stay away for the duration. All in all, an exciting day of racing at an event that could have become preoccupied with the presence of Chris Froome, who is still under investigation due to an adverse analytical finding of controlled substance Salbutamol at the 2017 Vuelta a España.

Stage 1 Summary

After a somewhat flustered start to the race, which saw a crash from Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise’s Jonas Rickaert, seven men decide to leave the pack on the early slopes of the first climb, the Puerto de Zafarraya. Silvan Dillier (AG2R-La Mondiale), Jérôme Baugnies (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Romain Sicard (Direct Energy), Lluis Guillermo Mas (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Garikoitz Bravo (Euskadi-Murias), Jesus Ezquerra (Burgos-BH ) and Txomin Juaristi (Fundation Euskadi) took off with little response or reaction from the peloton. Jesus Ezquerra and Jerome Baugnies we’re quickly expulsed from the group and the five survivors went on to spend a long day in saddle together. At no lense than 100 kilometers from the finish line, the leaders hold 4’05 ” over the peloton. During the series of five categorised climbs that made up the bulk of the day’s racing, they reach a maximum advantage of five minutes and thirty seconds.

It is only on the Alto del Lucero, the penultimate climb of the day, that the peloton begins a chase in earnest, led by Astana. As the peloton put the hammer down, the day ended for Fundation Euskadi rider Txomin Juaristi, who was dropped from the breakaway. The work put in by Astana on the front has already narrowed the gap to 2’50 ” by the time the leaders reach the summit of the climb.

The pointy end of the race was atop of the Alto de la Malaha, 20 kilometers from the finish line. Our quartet now has but a few seconds on a rapidly accelerating peloton. 12 kilometers from the finish and the heroes of the day are eaten up by the bunch.

After the re-grouping, the fight for sprint position begins, ahead of the final three-kilometre straight. Despite offensives from Burgos-BH and Fundación Euskadi, the peloton remains as one. The sprint is tight, and although Sacha Modolo (Education First) raises his arms in victory, it is Thomas Boudat (Direct Energy) who takes the day, giving Team Direct Energie their first win of 2018, and their first win since the Paris-Chauny (classique), which was also won by Boudat.

Vuelta a Andalucia 2018 Stage 1 Results

Vuelta a Andalucia 2018 General Classification after Stage 1