CyclingPub Gallery: Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana stage 5
Feb 07 2017 08:32 pm CETThe fifth stage of the 2017 Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana was won by Bryan Coquard and confirmed the overall victory of Nairo Quintana. CyclingPub.com was there to watch the race unfold.
Our photographer Mary Cárdenas was present at the start in Paterna (which was basically a exhibition lap as the real start took place later on the day due to the weather circumstances) and at the finish in Valencia city.
'Dutch masters' Wout Poels and Steven Kruijswijk have a chat while their managers, the race organizers and local authorities decide on what to do about the horrible wind in the area. They end up cutting the stage by about 80 kilometers.
Former world champion Kwiatkowski has all the time in the world to sign shirts and talk to fans ahead of the stage.
The shirt-signing sessions apparently inspired Kwiatkowski as he joins Iljo Keisse in a two-man breakaway on the streets of Valencia.
The peloton didn't quite agree with the plans of the two escapees...
Colombian fans can't wait to see their national hero Nairo Quintana in the Yellow Jersey (the one of Valencia, although surely they'll want to see him in the Yellow Jersey of the Tour de France as well!).
The final sprint. Bryan Coquard is first to cross the line, Nacer Bouhanni second.
Coquard is pretty pleased with his victory!
The podium with (from left to right) Ben Hermans, Nairo Quintana and Manuel Senni.
Time for a Colombian party!
Philippe Gilbert, who judging by his outfit forgot he had to get to the podium, won the Combination Classification.
Cyril Gautier won both the Mountains and the Sprint classifications.
Manuel Senni led the race after the Team Time Trial and ends the week with another jersey, the white one, for winning the Youth Classification.
