Lara Gillespie came close to her first podium at La Vuelta Femenina, finishing fourth in the sprint that decided Stage 6 on the uphill finish in Baltanás. Once again, the team showed great resilience and commitment throughout the day.
Stage 6 covered 126.7 km from Becerril de Campos to Baltanás – a mostly flat and fast route, yet not without challenges. Erica Magnaldi was involved in a crash, fortunately escaping without serious consequences. Maeva Squiban, who had medical checks last night following her crash in Stage 5, was cleared of any fractures and bravely took the start this morning, showing great determination. Alena Ivanchenko also gritted her teeth to finish the stage.
In the final kilometres, Irish rider Lara Gillespie showed maturity beyond her years. Navigating the chaos of a hectic sprint on a slightly uphill drag, she took responsibility for the team and delivered a strong fourth place.
Lara Gillespie said: “This is a nice step in the ride direction for me. My first grand tour stage race is a whole new experience, these climbs, descents and technical finishes are also new for me. I feel fast in the finish but I’m learning how to position myself to compete for the win. Step by step, I’m already excited for the next opportunity to sprint in a few weeks again”.
Tomorrow brings the final and most demanding stage: 152.6 km from La Robla to the summit finish at Alto de Cotobello – a challenging mountain test to close out the race.
(ph. @gettysport and @facepeeters)
