Spaniard Carlos Rodríguez is one stage away from a career-defining second – successful his first WorldTour stage race on the Tour de Romandie.
The Ineos rider leapt away from a choose group that had jettisoned in a single day chief Juan Ayuso (UAE Staff Emirates) within the closing kilometre and, whereas he couldn’t catch stage winner Richard Carapaz (EF Training-EasyPost), he left a few of biking’s finest climbers in his wake.
With Ayuso distanced, Rodríguez completed third on the stage behind Carapaz and Bora-Hansgrohe’s breakout star Florian Lipowitz, gaining sufficient time to take the Tour de Romandie lead by seven seconds over Bora’s Aleksandr Vlasov.
“I am actually completely happy and tremendous pleased with the crew and all of the dedication all through the stage,” Rodríguez stated after the conclusion of the queen stage to Leysin.
“We did not understand how issues would prove. However they’ve belief in me so I am actually completely happy for his or her perception that I might ship in the long run an excellent end result. It is not completed but. We now have to combat nonetheless tomorrow, however I am going to give every thing to attempt to get this jersey.”
Rodríguez signed with Ineos on the age of 19 and is now in his fifth season with the crew. He has made regular progress in stage races, ending seventh on the Vuelta a España in his Grand Tour debut in 2022 and taking fifth general ultimately 12 months’s Tour de France.
He is gained a stage within the Tour de France and phases of the Itzulia Basque Nation and Tour of Britain however his finest general end in a WorldTour stage race was second on this 12 months’s Itzulia Basque Nation, successful the ultimate stage to Eibar alongside the best way.
Getting his first basic classification victory, he says, can be “superb”, however there’s one a lot flatter stage to go, a 150.8km circuit in Vernier, to get by means of.
“I’ve gained some races however nonetheless not a GC and to win a WorldTour stage race. It is what I can not say but, however it might be superb and I am actually necessary for me to attain it.
“We now have to be prepared. We do not know what can occur, so we will not loosen up but. We are going to do tomorrow after the stage and hopefully we are able to we are able to have fun.”
This summer season, Rodríguez will head up the Ineos Grenadiers choice alongside Tom Pidcock and Geraint Thomas on the Tour de France with a podium spot possible inside his sights. A giant win in Romandie would solely cement his status as one of many prime favourites.
