Buitrago: “There are two key stages this week, especially Saturday’s”

Santiago Buitrago is happy to keep the polka-dot jersey, but he does not view it as the end of his Vuelta a España campaign. The Bahrain Victorious rider still wants to win a stage.

“I’m very happy that tomorrow is a rest day,” the Bogotá-born cyclist said after the finish. “Personally, I need it a lot, and that way we’ll be ready for the final week.”

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I’m very happy that tomorrow is a rest day. Personally, I need it a lot, and that way we’ll be ready for the final week.

Buitrago leads the mountains classification by 29 points, but he said that advantage offers no guarantee with the hardest racing still ahead. The decisive week includes major mountain stages on Friday at Peñas Blancas and on Saturday at Collado del Alguacil, which will host the race’s queen stage and a first-time finish.

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There are two key stages in this Vuelta, and Saturday’s offers almost 50 points. We have to recover well, be very intelligent and defend ourselves until the end.

“There are two key stages in this Vuelta, and Saturday’s offers almost 50 points,” Buitrago said. “We have to recover well, be very intelligent and defend ourselves until the end.”

The Colombian also made clear that the jersey is not his only ambition. “Without a doubt, my goal is to win a stage, and I’ll try again in this final week,” he said. “Winning a stage would be the icing on the cake, especially with this jersey.”

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Without a doubt, my goal is to win a stage, and I’ll try again in this final week. Winning a stage would be the icing on the cake, especially with this jersey.