Ruta del Sol 2020: Fuglsang cements GC lead with Queen Stage victory

The Queen Stage of the Ruta del Sol features an elevation gain of 3,160 metres. The riders tackle five intermediate climbs before the finale in Úbeda serves double digit ramps and cobbles. Jakob Fuglsang wins again to keep the overall race lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 3rd stage Ruta del Sol 2020

1. Jakob Fuglsang (den)
2. Pello Bilbao (spa) s.t.
3. Brandon McNulty (usa) + 0.01
4. Ion Izagirre (spa) + 0.04
5. Marc Soler (spa) + 0.06
6. Dylan Teuns (bel) + 0.08
7. Jack Haig (aus) s.t.
8. Mikel Landa (spa) s.t.
9. Antwan Tolhoek (nld) + 0.13
10. Maurits Lammertink (nld) + 0.26

GC after stage 3
1. Jakob Fuglsang (den)
2. Mikel Landa (spa) + 0.14
3. Pello Bilbao (spa) + 0.30
4. Dylan Teuns (bel) + 0.31
5. Ion Izagirre (spa) + 0.34
6. Jack Haig (aus) + 0.35
7. Chris Harper (aus) + 1.23
8. Marc Soler (spa) + 1.27
9. Ruben Fernandez (spa) + 1.36
10. Harm Vanhoucke (bel) s.t.

Race report
A group of 44 riders reaches the top of the Puerto de Cambil almost 2 minutes ahead of the peloton, but the huge breakaway is brought back on the Puerto de Solera. Enric Mas, Floris De Tier, Maurits Lammertink, Louis Vervaeke, Mikel Bizkarra, Damiano Caruso, Lennard Hofstede, Silvan Dillier, Loic Vliegen, Jimmy Janssens and Andrey Zeits open up a new gap of almost 3 minutes.

After the Puerto de Baeza the lead group is reduced to Mas, De Tier, Caruso, Bizkarra and Dillier. Although the five work well together, they are brought back on the climb into Úbeda. Soler attacks and Landa takes over, but the other favourites join them.

Jack Haig accelerates under the flamme rouge, while Dylan Teuns counter-attacks with a ferocious move. But it comes down to bike handling in the technical finale and the Flemish rider misses one of many sharp corners. Jakob Fuglsang slides best through the corners and wins the stage ahead of Pello Bilbao, while young Brandon McNulty crosses the line 1 second later.

Fuglsang increases his lead to 14 seconds over Landa and Bilbao moves up to third, 30 seconds behind the Dane.

Another interesting read: route 3rd stage 2020 Ruta del Sol.