Viuelta 2021: Rin Tarama wins mountaintop in Bacon Blanco and knocks out Roglic Root

With his win on day two of his Tour of Spain, first-place winner Rein Taaramäe (Intermarché – Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) took off the red jersey. This means the Estonian tops the Grand Tour overall standings for the first time in his long career.

With an impressive performance, he took the third stage as a soloist for a distance of more than 202.8 km from Santo Domingo de Silos to the mountain reach of Bacon Blanco (1495 metres) 21 seconds ahead of American Joe Dombrowski (UAE National Team).

“I’ve already won stages in the Giro and the Vuelta, it was my dream to get the driving jersey as well. I just wanted to know how it felt to wear it for a few days. I was in this Giro, beaming with his second victory on Vuelta Day after 2011, the year is already approaching,” said Taaramäe. From the stage when Joe won (Stage 4, ed.) I made it today and I’m very happy.

“Honestly, I was expecting such success. I am in really good shape and with Valerio Piva, a very smart sporting director. We discussed last night that we want to try to win the stage today and also with the first driving jersey. I had a lot of confidence in myself, the only question was what Whether the peloton will get us or not.”

Großschartner is more than three minutes behind him

The peloton still makes up half of the outliers, but not the four strongest of the day. France’s Kenny Elesund (Trek – Segafredo / +0:36) and Lilian Calmejane (AG2R Citroën / +1: 16), who were also in the G8 at the start, followed in third and fourth.

There was also Grand Tour newcomer Tobias Baer (Alpecin-Fenix), who was ultimately the best Austrian at 40th (+2:57), ahead of compatriot Felix Grosschartner (Bora-Hansgrohe) by one place, who finished 3: 15 minutes. Behind and could almost give up his class ambitions.

Carapaz loses a minute to Roglic & Co – Bernal is now the best young professional

As the favorites, Spaniard Enrique Mas (Movistar) crossed the finish line in fifth, 1:45 behind, followed by Colombian Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana – Premier Tech) and Roglic, who had to drop his red shirt. To Taaramäe two days later, but you shouldn’t be sad about that.

In contrast, last year’s runner-up Richard Karabaz (Inios Grenadiers) lost one minute to the Roglic group. As for his teammate, Egan Bernal, he crossed the finish line with Roglic.

Taaramäe leads the overall standings by 25 seconds over Elissonde. Roglic (+0: 30) slipped to third, followed by Calmejane (+0: 35), Mas (+0: 45) and Lopez (+0: 51). Großschartner (+3:15) is now 41 years old. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin – Fenix) continues to be the leader in the point rating.

The best young professional now is Bernal. The 2019 Tour winner beats Switzerland’s Gino Meader (Bahrain Victorious) by 13 seconds.