Two podium finishes in the toughest stages of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana have propelled young Spanish racer Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers) to a third place overall in the 2.Pro race, the biggest success to date of his promising young career.
Rodriguez was the best of five Spaniards in the top ten of Valenciana, including far more experienced racers like Enric Mas and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) who took fourth and fifth respectively.
The 21-year-old has not raced since the World Championships in Belgium last year, and was touted one of three possible leaders for Ineos Grenadiers at Valenciana alongside 2020 Giro d’Italia winner Tao Geoghegan Hart and Pavel Sivakov.
But despite his youth, Rodríguez emerged the strongest with a podium finish that will likely increase speculation that together with Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates), Spain’s lengthy search for a potential successor to the ‘golden generation’ of Joaquim Purito Rodriguez, Alberto Contador and Valverde may not be totally fruitless.
“I’m the one that puts pressure on myself,” Rodríguez told reporters after the final Valenciana podium celebrations when asked about his chances of following on from where Contador and the rest left off. “You work hard, and then whatever comes next, will come.
“I can’t go around saying I want to win this race or that race because there could be another rider who’s stronger than me.”
“We’re new racers, trying to do at least as well as what Valverde, Contador and Purito were in the habit of doing…but we’ll do what we can, day by day, and doing the best possible. My general aim is to go on enjoying myself, progressing and learning every day.”
As for the race itself, Rodríguez's second place behind overall winner Alexsandr Vlasov (Bora-hansgrohe) on the Antenas del Maigmó summit finish probably drew the most attention from the media and fans. But his third place on the very hilly opening stage was one moment Rodriguez said he would remember personally very fondly as well.
“At the end of the day, being in form is a question of the finer details and team work,” Rodriguez who turned pro in 2020, added. “It’s been a very high level kind of race, and kicking off with a third place overall is very satisfactory for me.
“It’s the kind of result that makes want to go on working hard and progressing.”
“Every stage has been special. The first was very special for me because I was ahead and it happened on my birthday, too. Then getting second on the sterrato stage was very special. I’m going to have a lot of good memories of this race.”
After taking third in Valenciana, his biggest result as a professional to date along with a stage of the Tour de L’Avenir last year, Rodríguez will now head to the Ruta del Sol in his home region of Andalusia in ten days’ time. Fourth overall in the Ruta in 2021, pushing for another podium finish this February is now surely not out of the question for him.
