Alessandro Pinarello may have relinquished the yellow jersey in the queen stage of O Gran Camiño on Friday, but the Italian’s gritty performance on Alto Cabeza de Meda means his podium chances remain intact with just one day of the Spanish race remaining.
Pinarello finished third on the category one finishing climb, which followed on from two other ascents in the final 45 kilometers on a day that packed in 2,934 meters of elevation.
The 22-year-old sits third on GC going into Saturday’s finale, which finishes with a 3.6km climb to Monte Trega archaeological site, with a 35-second advantage over his nearest rival.
Pinarello has already impressed in stage races this season – he finished 10th in Tirreno Adriatico last month and 12th in February’s Volta ao Algarve – and his second top-three stage finish in as many days this afternoon further outlined his week-long credentials.
