Alexey Lutsenko produced a strong ride on Stage 12 of La Vuelta a España, spending almost the entire day at the front before battling to fourth place on the summit finish at Calar Alto.
The 167-kilometer stage from Vera featured more than 4,500 meters of climbing and developed into a major day for the breakaway. Lutsenko was part of the action from the opening kilometers, initially going clear in a small group of three before more riders bridged across and the move eventually grew to around 30 riders.
The race became increasingly selective on the penultimate climb, where a hard pace split the breakaway apart. Lutsenko remained among the strongest riders at the front and continued to fight all the way up the final ascent to Calar Alto, crossing the line in fourth.
“At first, I wanted to help Jan Hirt get into a good position for the breakaway. After the first KOM, I accelerated and got a gap of around 15 or 20 seconds. I was riding at the front for around 15 or 20 kilometers before I started waiting for the bigger group behind.
“From there, I tried to save my legs as much as possible, and in the end I just did my best,” said Lutsenko.
The result gives Lutsenko another strong showing from the breakaway at this year’s Vuelta, following his seventh place on Stage 7.