The Colombian Miguel Ángel “Supermán” López (Team Medellín) showed his character after his exclusion from the World Tour with a solo exhibition in the queen stage of the Vuelta a San Juan disputed between Chimbas and Alto Colorado, cbecoming a clear favorite to win the final victory.
Supermán López, recently fired from Astana and the World Tour for being linked to the investigations in the case of trafficking in prohibited substances together with the Spanish doctor Marcos Maynar, He gave a blow of pride, courage and authority in the Vuelta a San Juan on the appointed day and with the Medellín jersey, a team that prevented “Supermán” from having to hang up the flying cape.
LOW FLIGHT OF “SUPERMÁN” LÓPEZ IN COLORADO
In a show of force, López attacked at the end, responding to a claw blow from Evenepoel that made it impossible for the Belgian to escape with 10km to go. The Colombian returned to demarcate 6 of the banner located in Alto Colorado, at more than 2,700 meters of altitude, this time to go solo making the pursuit of his rivals useless. A master stroke.
López entered the finish line hitting his chest, in a message of “here I am”, a necessity for a podium man in Giro y Vuelta who wants to return to the World Tour. He stopped the clock at 4:07:10, at an average speed of 42.3 km/hour. From behind he became desperate chasing the Ineos giant Filippo Ganna, but the double world champion against the clock arrived half a minute behind the winner.
The podium of the stage, which had a distance of 173.3 kilometres, It was closed by the Colombian champion Sergio Huguita (Bora Hasngrohe), 38 seconds behind, preceding Egan Bernal (Ineos) and his compatriot from Movistar Einer Rubio. The world champion Remco Evenepoel was eliminated, who gave up 1.09 at the finish line.
In a mountainous area where gold abounds, an enormous resource for the region’s economy, López found that precious metal in the form of a victory, the most sought after in his life, at a crucial moment. He is already the clear favorite to win the Vuelta a San Juan. He is the albiceleste jersey of the round, followed by Ganna at 30 seconds, Higuita at 44 and Bernal and Einer Rubio at 50. Evenepoel says goodbye to the general standings, 1.20 minutes behind.
The queen stage was the “D-day” of the favourites, of the big names, and they appeared in the last 10 km, when the real battle began. Until then a group of 7 riders livened up the stage with a break, highlighting the Italian Tarozzi and the Argentine Messineowho endured the revolt until the greats raised their voices.
EVENEPOEL ATTACKS, LOPEZ REPLIES
As soon as the break was dissolved, Medellín took command of the peloton, a clear strategy for López who tried to disrupt Evenepoel with a trademark attack 10 from the finish line. The reaction of Ineos with Bernal and Ganna, Higuita and López stopped the world champion.
The final letter was drawn by López, enraged, with an enormously important exam ahead. A protest message was played after “the injustice” of being left out of the World Tour. A first attack selected the rivals, and the second allowed him to vanish to the finish line.
Evenepoel gave in, far from his best moment yet, but Ineos held up well with Ganna and Bernal, as well as Higuita and Einer Rubio. Among all, the Italian from Verbania rebelled, a giant of 1.90, a huge roller who was already sixth in El Colorado in 2020.
Its acceleration was not enough to defeat the feat of Superman López, who crowned the queen stage as champion. A decisive step to win the Vuelta and a warning for sailors. The Colombian wants to fly higher.
This Saturday the sixth stage will return to the outskirts of San Juan with the route starting and finishing at the new Vicente Chancay Velodrome, 144.8 km long, a new opportunity for sprinters.
With information from EFE Agency*