Luisle punctures and Chiarini does not forgive

Three stages of the Škoda Titan Desert Almeria. Three days and three leaders. The one who today wore the red jersey, Luis León Sánchez, has experienced one of those setbacks that sometimes happen in mountain biking. Shortly after finishing the ascent to the Škoda Challenge at Velefique, the cyclist from Murcia suffered a mechanical problem that caused him to lose any chance in the GC.

Until then, the stage had run through predictable terrain. The three big favorites: Luis Ángel Maté, Riccardo Chiarini and ‘Luisle’ himself, arrived in just twenty seconds to that giant in the south of Spain, which was located at kilometer 42 of the stage.

Until then, the stage had run through predictable terrain. The three big favorites: Luis Ángel Maté, Riccardo Chiarini and ‘Luisle’ himself, arrived in just twenty seconds to that giant in the south of Spain, which was located at kilometer 42 of the stage.

After the descent and the puncture of Luis León, Maté and Chiarini collaborated until the finish line: the stage for the rider from Marbella and the GC lead for the Italian from Cannondale ISB Sport.

Everything looks good for this Škoda Titan Desert Almeria rookie. Chiarini is almost seven minutes ahead in the GC over of Maté and 22 minutes over David Rodríguez, who closes the podium. But if something has been demonstrated today is that in mountain biking no result can be taken for granted.

In the women’s GC, the Škoda We Love Cycling stage left no surprises. Tessa Kortekaas adds her third win out of three and extends the advantage in the GC with her immediate pursuer, the representative of the Junta de Andalucía Esther Maqueda.

Tessa did her race and today she activated her ‘superpower’, as she says. The Cannondale ISB Sport rider rode from the beginning very strong and very comfortable.

On her arrival at the start of the Škoda Challenge, the Dutchwoman based in Lanzarote was riding at a good pace in a group of riders including Peter Sagan. Together with the triple world champion she crossed the arch of the summit of Velefique that marks the end of this timed section.

On the descent, Kortekaas used her experience as a biker to continue gaining positions. Today, the leader of the women’s GC crossed the finish line among the top 20 riders of the entire race. One of those milestones only within reach of this force of nature that has come to mark an epoch in the Titan World Series.