CHICLANA DE SEGURA, Spain – Dutch rider Wout Poels (Bahrain-Victorious) won the 68th edition of the Tour of Andalusia on Sunday after a 5th and final stage won alone at Chiclana de Segura by German Lennard Kämna ( Bora-Hansgrohe).
In the last kilometers, Poels ardently defended his overall leader’s jersey acquired the day before in Baza, well supported by his teammates, in particular Mikel Landa, who stood up to the main rivals in the peloton.
On the winners of the Ruta del sol (Road of the sun, in Spanish), Poels succeeds Colombian Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana), third overall this year, fifteen seconds behind Poels.
For the 34-year-old Dutchman, this is the first victory in a stage race since 2016, when he won the Tour de Valence, in addition to winning Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Kämna, escaped 3.4 kilometers from the line, beat the Italians Lorenzo Fortunato (Eolo-Kometa) and Alessandro Covi (UAE Emirates) on Sunday on the line, who had led the dance overall after the 2nd and 3rd stages on Thursday and Friday.
The peloton of favorites for the final victory arrived more than a minute and thirty seconds after the winner of the day.
An edition to forget for the French: the first Habs overall is Benoït Cosnefroy (AG2R-Citroën), 46th more than twenty minutes from Poels. Note, however, the 2nd place overall of the Spaniard from TotalEnergies Cristian Rodriguez, who fails 14 seconds behind the winner.
Classification of the 5th and last stage :
1. Lennard Kämna (GER / BOR), the 146.4 km in 3 h 43 min and 05 sec (39.375 km/h average)
2. Lorenzo Fortunato (ITA / EOL), 4 sec.
3. Alessandro Covi (ITA/UAE), 10 sec.
4. Magnus Sheffield (USA/INE), at 12 sec.
5. Gonzalo Serrano Rodriguez (ESP / MOV), at 25 sec.
Final general classification :
1. Wout Poels (NED / BAH) 20 h 51 min and 27 sec.
2. Cristian Rodriguez (ESP / TOT), at 14 sec.
3. Miguel Angel Lopez (COL / AST), at 15 sec.
4. Carlos Rodriguez (ESP/INE), at 19 sec.
5. Simon Yates (GBR/BIK), at 20 sec.
