The 25-year-old will have another opportunity to fight for victory on the final stage of the race.
Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana continues Saturday with a long but calm stage that took the peloton on the coast. Five riders decided to try their luck in the breakaway, but they lived on borrowed time, with a coalition of teams dragging the gap to within touching distance by the time they hit the outskirts of the finish town. Josef Cerny was again impeccable as he chased down the escapees, who were reeled in with some help from Mattia Cattaneo at the 15km-to-go mark.
Remco Evenepoel provided a massive 2km pull at the front of the peloton, until 600 meters to go, when Michael Mørkøv and Fabio Jakobsen tried to make their way to the front of the peloton, ahead of the final bend. The Dutchman had the power to replicate the stage 2 success, but was unfortunately boxed in down the barriers some 200 meters from the line and couldn’t open his sprint, taking fifth in Torrevieja, where Matteo Moschetti (Trek-Segafredo) won.
Despite missing out on the victory, Fabio claimed important points in the red jersey classification and remains in contention for taking it home on the final day, which will end in Valencia. Teammate Remco Evenepoel kept hold of the white jersey and could become the first Belgian winner of the best young rider standings at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana.
Photo credit: ©Dario Belingheri / Getty Images
