Valentin Paret-Peintre and Filippo Zana were again part of the day’s main breakaway.
Puerto de Tarbena, Puerto de El Miserat, Puerto de Tollos, Puerto de Tudons, Puerto de Benifallim, and Alto de Aitana were the six climbs the peloton had to face before the first rest day of the race, six ascents that made for 5000 vertical meters and an arduous day in the saddle.
This didn’t scare Valentin Paret-Peintre and Filippo Zana, the Soudal Quick-Step duo who made it into the breakaway for the second time in three days. The two were prominent, helping the group establish a lead of more than six minutes, which looked to be enough to fight for the win. Everything changed starting with the penultimate climb, where the bunch began speeding up and erasing a big part of the deficit.
Paret-Peintre and Zana attacked and tried to bridge across a duo that was up the road at that point, and made it into the final five kilometers before being caught by the red jersey’s group, who to the surprise of many, managed to reduce that mammoth gap the escapees had. It was red jersey wearer Enric Mas (Movistar) who took the win, while the former Italian Champion finished stage nine as Soudal Quick-Step’s first rider home.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
