Cycling: Jelle Wallays (Lotto Soudal) managed a breakaway coup. The Belgian pulled away from the peloton with numerous other drivers at the Vuelta a San Juan. Shortly before the finish it looked as if they would all be caught again. But then Wallays attacked and saved two seconds ahead of his former companions. In the overall standings, local hero Gonzalo Najar (Sindicato Empleadas Publicos of San Juan) continues to lead ahead of oldie Oscar Sevilla (Medellin-Indian).
17 breakaways in San Juan
After yesterday's mountain stage it was a little more comfortable in San Juan today. The section took the drivers over a distance of 152,6 kilometers over mostly flat terrain. The peloton started in San Juan, then headed southeast to Vallecito, before turning around and returning the same way. Still, shortcuts have been ruled out, though certainly tempting for some weary pros. Since the overall standings seemed already decided and with Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors) the best sprinter was eliminated, some teams were probably hoping for a successful breakaway attempt. No fewer than 17 professionals fled to seek their salvation.
#VueltaSJ2018 @jellewallays of the @Lotto_Soudal Gana la 6° etapa coronando una gran actuacion y llegando en solitario. pic.twitter.com/udaJggs8Lw
— InfoBiker (@infobiker) 28 January 2018
Wallays with a clever attack
The retirement of Fernando Gaviria after his fall on the fourth stage but also ensured that other sprinters saw their chance. So the escapees were hunted anyway. With ten kilometers to go, it looked as if the escape would not be crowned with success. The field was only 30 seconds behind and was about to collect the pros who had escaped. Five kilometers before the finish took Jelle Wallays his heart in both hands and launched an attack. His fellow breakaways couldn't or wouldn't follow him. By the time they responded, it was already too late. Jelle Wallays won by two seconds Robigzon Oyola (Medellin Indians), Travis McCabe (United Healthcare), Iljo Keisse (Quick-Step Floors) and Edward Sepulveda (Movistar). The peloton crossed the finish line XNUMX seconds behind. Pascal Ackermann (Bora-hansgrohe) won the sprint of the pursuers. Gonzalo Najar lost nine seconds to his closest rivals but remains in the leader's jersey by a significant margin.
#VueltaSJ2018 Top 10 of the general classification of the Vuelta in San Juan 2018, luego de la sexta etapa. #ciclismo pic.twitter.com/wdNBrd3qUf
— Andrés Gutiérrez (@Guti99) 27 January 2018
Cover image source: @ flickr © vueltaasanjuan.org