Giulio Ciccone, Lorenzo Fortunato, and Leo Bisiaux build confidence in Burgos ahead of Vuelta a España

“Today was the hardest stage and the stage I wanted to win from the start,” Ciccone began his post-race interview. “It wasn’t an easy week, because the crash on the first day and the heat made me feel a bit uncomfortable in the first few stages. But this was a big goal for us; it was a great test, let’s say,” he said, referring to the Vuelta a España.

“Ultimately, the goal was to win, and we achieved that. I was a little disappointed a few days ago, two days ago, when I didn't manage to win,” said the man who also won the Clásica San Sebastián. “I knew I had the advantage of not being in the GC, which gave me a better chance for the stage, and I took advantage of that.”

"I knew Del Toro had to give it his all to win the GC, and I took advantage of that. But with such a strong rider, it's always better not to wait for the sprint, so I tried to do everything I could to be there first. This was definitely excellent preparation for what's to come. Now, a few days to recover and then we'll continue, motivated to do well in the Vuelta."

It wasn't Mikel Landa (eighteenth) or Egan Bernal (sixth), but Giro mountain king Lorenzo Fortunato who finished second in the general classification. ‘I can say that I'm pretty satisfied with the result – third place in the decisive stage and second place in the GC is an excellent performance.’

“I came here to the Vuelta a Burgos to start the second part of the season, testing my form and condition, and trying to fight for the general classification. I think everything went well. I would have liked to fight for the victory today, but some riders were stronger.”

“Still, I think I got through the last climb well and did everything I could, so second place in the GC is great. Now it's time for a short rest, recovery, and then on to the Vuelta a España,” said the Italian.

In third place, we see Leo Bisiaux, the 20-year-old stage winner on day three. He finished as leader in eleventh place in the final stage. “It was a really great week. I rode two days in the leader's jersey. That's definitely different; there's more attention and more is expected of me. In the peloton, I made sure I did everything right and stayed focused.”

"We controlled the race, and the team protected me excellently throughout the week. Today I fought to keep the leader's jersey, but our rivals were stronger. This third place in the GC is a fantastic result – I'm happy for myself and for the team. I feel ready for the Vuelta a España, even though I still have a few days of preparation ahead of me," said the youngster, looking ahead to his first Grand Tour.

And what about overall winner Del Toro, who will not be riding in the Vuelta? We received a brief comment from his UAE team after his seventh victory in a month. “The last stage was tough. I got a flat tire on the final descent and had to chase hard. I thought the race might slip away from me, but we kept our cool and got back into the race.”

Del Toro realizes what a special season he is having. “I feel like I've taken a step forward both physically and mentally this year, and I'm really enjoying cycling. We had a great vibe in the team all week, and I'm very grateful to the team and the confidence they have in me.”