due

farmer’s protest

The organization of the Ruta del Sol has announced that the final weekend will also be canceled. This leaves only Friday’s short time trial (4.95 km) in Alcaudete. The winner of that time trial will soon also be the final winner of the seventieth edition of the Ruta del Sol.

Saturday’s fourth stage, over 100 km in and around Lucena, and Sunday’s fifth stage, over 168 km between Benahavis and La Linea de la Concepcion, are canceled due to the farmers’ protests in the region. The Spanish organization had to cancel the first two rides on Wednesday and Thursday earlier this week. This makes Friday’s short time trial one of the most valuable ever as no fewer than 220 UCI points are at stake.

There have been renewed farmers’ protests in Spain since Tuesday, a week after they took to the streets for the first time. In Andalusia, demonstrators are blocking road traffic in several places.

“This is quite frustrating,” admits Milan Menten (Lotto Dstny). “I had little chance of winning a stage, but I mainly came here to improve. Hard work in the mountains to convert that into power in the sprints. But none of that. We hardly get trips of 100 kilometers instead. In retrospect, I would have been better off doing an internship. Compared to the riders who ride the Tour of the Algarve, we will be indebted. Oh well, there is no other option than to do what we have to do: stay, drive and train where possible.”

Tim Wellens laconically accepts the facts. “Well, in a hotel, nice weather, a chef, good care every day and still no racing. It could be worse. No, of course it’s annoying. We take the time to train, but that is not the same as racing. Moreover, you don’t know how hard you should train. You have to keep busy, but tomorrow (today, ed.) There will be a race with that time trial and so it is difficult to estimate how fast you can best go in.”