Felix Gall underlines Vuelta credentials with impressive Vuelta a Burgos mountain win

Felix Gall of Decathlon CMA CGM has won stage 3 of the Vuelta a Burgos. The Austrian, who already finished second in the Giro d’Italia in May, held off several of the climbers he is expected to face in the battle for the Vuelta a España podium later this month. Gall also moved into the overall race lead.

The Vuelta a Burgos is perhaps the most important preparatory race for this year’s Vuelta a España, which begins on August 22. After birthday boy Matthew Brennan — who turned 21 on Thursday — won the opening stage on Tuesday, Wednesday produced the first real test between the riders targeting the general classification.

Oscar Onley of Netcompany INEOS came out on top in that battle, beating Lidl-Trek’s Giulio Ciccone in a short sprint at Valle del Sol. Enric Mas of Movistar, Jarno Widar of Lotto-Intermarché and Gall also demonstrated that they had arrived in strong form, giving them confidence heading into stage 3.

That stage would be decided after the Puerto de Escudo, a seven-kilometre climb averaging nine per cent. Although the toughest part of the route came near the finish, the racing was aggressive from the start. Mathieu Burgaudeau and Valentin Retailleau of TotalEnergies, Gorka Corres of Caja Rural, Jamie Meehan of Cofidis, Bastien Tronchon of Groupama-FDJ and Diego Uriarte of Equipo Kern Pharma formed the breakaway, but the race never truly settled down behind them.

Netcompany INEOS and Lidl-Trek attempted to control the race, but they could not prevent Pavel Sivakov of UAE Emirates-XRG, Milan Vader of Pinarello-Q36.5 and Jasper Schoofs of Soudal Quick-Step from bridging across to the front. Despite the strength of those riders, Netcompany INEOS managed to keep the expanded breakaway within striking distance.

The leaders were caught shortly before the final climb, after which Lidl-Trek, with Sam Oomen among the riders setting the pace, took control for Ciccone. UAE Emirates-XRG leader Jay Vine, meanwhile, was taken out of contention by a mechanical problem after narrowly avoiding a crash in the peloton.

Vine’s younger teammate Pablo Torres instead decided to attack. The talented Spaniard looked behind and saw a select group containing the strongest climbers beginning to form: Gall, Onley, Mas and Ciccone. The Decathlon CMA CGM Austrian appeared to have the best legs and was determined to prove it, although the others were not prepared to give up without a fight.

Onley even launched a counterattack with two kilometres of the climb remaining, reducing the contest at the front to two riders. Gall still had more left than the British rider, however, and accelerated clear to secure the victory.

1. Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM)
2. Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) + 0.12
3. Oscar Onley (Netcompany INEOS) ''