Titan Desert 2020. Epic stage with rain, ice and strong wind
Bad weather forces the Titan Desert organization to shorten today’s queen stage to half its route.
Josep Betalú loses his leadership to Sergio Mantecón who crosses the Skoda Challenge arc at first position. Silvia Roura remains second behind Clàudia Galicia.
Tabernas, 11/05/2020
The organization has already warned that the queen stage of the Titan Desert Almería would be epic due to its route and unevenness.
Fog, a lot of wind and heavy rain, has put the titans of this edition to the limit. The organization has decided to close stage 4 at kilometer 56, just after the bikers crossed the Skoda Challenge arch, which grants a bonus minute to the fastest to complete the 16 kilometers and 840 meters of elevation gain. The fastest to do so was Sergio Mantecón, who also took the stage by 56 seconds compared to Josep Betalú. The Cantabrian runner is now the leader, 44 seconds behind. Tomorrow last stage, in which the KH7 Logifrio team will try to regain the lead.
«It will be very difficult to come back, but there are always options. Although Sergio is a very skilled rider, very similar to my style and beating him on a Titan is very difficult. The physical part is very tactical, everything I see is also seen by him. It may have a breakdown, an oversight, but in the end, it will be very difficult ”, commented Josep Betalú in the camp.
Regarding the rest of the components, a great performance again by Iván Díaz, who entered just behind Betalú. Oriol Colomé was eighth and Miguel Induráin was thirty-fifth.
Sílvia Roura consolidates as second
In women, Clàudia Galicia has won again, crossing the finish line 14 minutes before Silvia Roura, who has arrived trembling at km 56. Sílvia, in any case, has increased her distance compared to Ramona Gabriel and is very close to the second final position .
The sympathetic anecdote of the day has starred Miguel Induráin. Although the Navarrese is not a friend of the cold, he joked when he was told that that point ended the stage to this new goal of stage 4 “I was going to attack right now…”
All the members of the KH7 Logifrio have managed to finish the stage and are now recovering from the cold to face the last stage tomorrow, where Josep Betalú will have to fight more than ever with his team to get his fifth consecutive victory.
Josep Betalú: I have felt good all day, the team has worked very well. I have faced the pass in the best possible way, with a lot of head and Sergio is a cross country runner who has a good change of pace. When he changes I have to do it progressively and I end up reaching him. He has attacked me hard many times and I closed the gap all the time until 2.5 km from the EH2, up on the climb, he attacked me hard, he took me a few meters and I saw that he could not win. I have decided to eat a gel and drink well, to be able to face the descent thoroughly and this time I have relaxed. In the end, the decision of the organization has hurt me a lot. I don’t know if it is the right decision, but in any case it can be the difference that will make me win or lose this race.
I have been left with a stupid face and now, if I can be the leader, I am more than 40 seconds behind him, so things change.
Gallery stage 4
