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🇪🇸 Spain /Sports

Van Aert repeats his victory in a stage shortened by extreme heat

From La Vanguardia · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Outcome reported
  • Wout van Aert won the shortened Vuelta stage in Córdoba after outlasting a breakaway group in the sprint.
  • Organizers reduced the route from 189 kilometers to 110 kilometers because temperatures in Córdoba were expected to exceed 40 degrees.
  • Riders had requested the change, while some officials and cyclists called for different start times to avoid the worst heat.

Wout van Aert won again in Córdoba, but the day’s defining decision came before the race began. With temperatures expected to exceed 40 degrees, riders asked organizers to activate the extreme-heat protocol and shorten the stage.

It was the riders’ initiative. They proposed activating the extreme-temperature protocol and we took it into consideration and decided to adapt the stage to those weather conditions.

· Javier GuillénThe Unipublic director explained why the stage was shortened.

The route from Palma del Río to Córdoba was cut from 189 kilometers to 110, removing more than 70 kilometers from the original plan. Javier Guillén, director of Unipublic, said the riders had proposed the measure and organizers adapted the stage to the weather. “It was the riders’ initiative. They proposed activating the extreme-temperature protocol and we took it into consideration and decided to adapt the stage to those weather conditions,” he said.

The shorter course produced an aggressive race from the start. Van Aert reached the decisive breakaway with four other riders, all of whom repeatedly tried to distance him during the closing kilometers. He closed attacks from Nys and Debruyne, then responded each time Leknessund accelerated.

This is the way I like to race.

· Wout van AertVan Aert described the aggressive breakaway style that led to his victory.

Van Aert held his position and waited for the sprint. Nys launched with 200 meters remaining, but Van Aert proved too fast and secured another victory in Córdoba, where he had also won in 2024. “This is the way I like to race,” the Belgian said.

Why not look for an alternative schedule? Starting at three in the afternoon, when the heat is at its worst, is not the best solution.

· Joxean Fernández MatxínThe UAE director called for future stages to avoid the hottest part of the day.

The heat remained a concern despite the shortened route. UAE director Joxean Fernández Matxín said Sivakov had lost Friday’s race to heatstroke and suggested considering alternative start times. Enric Mas, the race leader, said the heat was so intense that “even the handlebars were burning.” Van Aert, however, finished smiling after the 43-degree day.

Even the handlebars were burning.

· Enric MasThe race leader described the extreme conditions after reaching the finish.
About this summary

Originally published by La Vanguardia in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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