STAGE 3 – ŠKODA TITAN SERIES ALMERIA 2021
12 de December de 2021Patxi Cía wins the third stage of the ŠKODA Titan Series Almería, with Óscar Pujol maintaining the leader’s jersey
- 96.5km and with 1,526 meters of positive elevation gain on the penultimate day.
- Óscar Pujol and Naima Madlen consolidate their leadership.
- Ramón Espelt and Ramón Aranda become Titan Legend Diamond by adding 10,000 km in the Titan tests.
12.11.2021 The first edition of the ŠKODA Titan Series Almería advances, which has today experienced its third stage with a Tabernas-Tabernas loop route.
96.5 kilometers and 1,526 meters of positive elevation gain in a day that has consolidated the leadership of Óscar Pujol and Naima Madlen as leaders of this great Titan adventure.
The Titans take the Tabernas Desert
The cyclists woke up at the Titan Camp at Oasis MiniHollywood before sunrise, to be ready to face the third and penultimate stage of the ŠKODA Titan Series Almería.
At 08:30 a.m. they took the start to face a loop circuit through tracks, boulevards and paths crossing fields of olive trees until reaching an intermediate point in the Almeria town of Sorbas.
From there, and after pedaling a few kilometers on the asphalt, the cyclists have overcome an ascent that has been, without a doubt, the biggest obstacle of the day. After the steep ascent, a long descent has taken the Titans to the Lucainena greenway, the turning point to start the return.
The goal awaited at Camp Titan, a location where, throughout the day, all kinds of activities have been held and where more than emotional moments have been experienced.
Patxi Cíavence in a sprint finish
Vibrant and very fast, the penultimate day of the ŠKODA Titan Series Almería. The wind finally died down and the cyclists were able to enjoy a sunny morning with a route where the favorites have remained grouped at the head of the race.
«Today’s objective was to keep the group under control, especially David Arroyo», commented an Óscar Pujol who wanted to fight for victory in the stage. But it has not been that way. Despite managing to escape on a slope already in the final stretch and finding the necessary forces to achieve it, with 2.5 kilometers to go he has broken the chain.
This setback has allowed David Arroyo and Patxi Cía to overtake the man from Valladolid and star in an arrival at the sprint in which the Navarrese prevailed with a time of 3:36:55. «Óscar has broken the chain, if not, I know he was going to win the stage», said a plethoric Patxi who has gone from less to more and who will try to repeat the victory tomorrow: «Every time I put on a bib I go out to compete and to give the maximum». Second position for Arroyo, with the same time at the finish line, and third place for Gabriel Sánchez in 3:37:05.
Óscar Pujol arrived in fifth position at Camp Titan, running alongside his bike and losing 1 minute 9 seconds to the winner. His effort to reach the finish line allows him to keep the jersey and consolidate his leadership in this MTB stage race that will face its last day tomorrow. «I have managed to maintain the leadership, but the victory has eluded me. I’m going to try to defend it tooth and nail.”
In the women’s category, the absolute dominance of the leader, the German Naima Madlen, who after completing the 96.5 km in 4:10:37 increases her lead over her pursuers in the general classification. Second in today’s stage Cristina Pujol (4:28:05) and third Anna Jordens (4:28:05).
Ramón Aranda and Ramón Espelt become Titan Legend Diamond
The ŠKODA Titan Series Almería experienced a historic moment today as Ramón Aranda and Ramón Espelt, “the Ramones”, ascended to the highest echelon of the Titan Legends by exceeding 10,000 kilometers in tests with the Titan seal.
This feat makes them the first cyclists to achieve the category of Titan Legend Diamond.
The ŠKODA Titan Series Almería team wanted to give them a special recognition right at the kilometer point where they achieved this feat. In addition, all the Titans have waited for them on the finish line to receive them with a standing ovation.
4th Stage ŠKODA Titan Series Almería: Tabernas -El Toyo
Tomorrow, December 12, the last day of this inaugural edition of the ŠKODA Titan Series Almería. A day that starts again at the Titan Camp of the Oasis MiniHollywood with two very different parts. A very fast initial section is expected along the interior of a large boulevard until reaching the gate of the Álvarez de Sotomayor Military Base. There will begin a journey through tracks with constant ups and downs that will make the cyclists add many meters of positive slope. The end of the stage will be located in El Toyo, where this adventure will come to an end.
Ranking and live tracking
Classification after stage 3, available in this LINK.
More information and live monitoring of the participants, thanks to the geolocation devices that each cyclist will carry, on the official website of the ŠKODA Titan Series Almería: https://titanseriesalmeria.com/
