Roger Adrià won the opening stage of the Tour of Burgos. The Spaniard from Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe proved to be the strongest on a punchy finish where favorites Isaac Del Toro and Giulio Ciccone crashed. Adrià ultimately took the victory ahead of Jordan Labrosse (Decathlon AG2R) and Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious).
This year's Vuelta a Burgos started with a stage suited for puncheurs. There were three climbs on the menu, with the Puerto de la Mazorra (6.5 km at 6.1%) being the toughest. The finale began just over 15 kilometers from the finish with the Alto del Aguilón (2.4 km at 4.3%), after which the finish line was set on the Alto del Castillo (1 km at 6.1%) in Burgos city. The steepest sections on the twisty final climb were between 8 and 9%.
Cilleruelo de Abajo) Buniel)De Bondt and five Spaniards
Not long after the start in Olmillos de Sasamón, a breakaway formed of six riders. Belgian Dries De Bondt (Decathlon AG2R) joined forces with five Spaniards: Carlos García Pierna (Burgos-Burpellet BH), Javier Ibáñez (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Mikel Bizkarra (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Joan Gamundi, and Asier Pablo Gonzalez (Illes Balears Arabay). However, before the Puerto de la Mazorra, which started roughly 85 kilometers from the finish, the group had already split up. García Pierna launched a solo attack on the flat.
The only one who managed to bridge across was De Bondt. The Belgian made the jump after the climb. Thus, two escapees began the finale, where there was still a chance for crosswinds. The riders rode on quite open roads. The peloton turned into a long string due to nervousness, and crashes occurred at the rear in several spots. Because the pace increased sharply, De Bondt and García Pierna had no chance of staying ahead. Their adventure ended with fifteen kilometers to go.
Adrià wins, Del Toro and Ciccone crash
There were some more attacks afterward. Samuel Fernández (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) opened up a significant gap, but he was caught on the final climb. The big guns were set to battle it out in the last few hundred meters. It was then Roger Adrià who launched his sprint from far out and immediately opened up a gap. He would hold on to the finish line. Jordan Labrosse
(Decathlon AG2R) took second place, with Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious) finishing third.
The top three could have looked different. Adrià was already on his way to victory when just behind him Isaac Del Toro crashed and took Giulio Ciccone down with him. The two Vuelta a Burgos favorites were in third and fourth position when they fell.
Vuelta a Burgos| Rank | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 04:49:46 | |
| 2 | " | |
| 3 | + 04 | |
| 4 | " | |
| 5 | " | |
| 6 | + 07 | |
| 7 | " | |
| 8 | " | |
| 9 | " | |
| 10 | + 11 |
