Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol 2023 Results
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) walked away with the overall honours in Andalucía (Image credit: SpringtCyclingAgency)
Stage 1: Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) soloed to win the opening stage in Andalucia. The Slovenian attacked 12.5km from the finish on a twisting steep climb and rode alone to the finish in Santiago de la Espada. Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious) outsprinted Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers) for second place, 38 seconds later.
Stage 2: No gifts. Race leader Pogačar powered past Enric Mas (Movistar) on the final climb to claim back-to-back stage wins. In total control, Pogacar easily rode across to the break to police the decisive nine-man move with 28 km to go. In the final kilometre, Mas attacked but had to settle for second place.
Stage 3: Making it three wins in a row for UAE Team Emirates, Tim Wellens won the stage after severe winds forced the race organizers to remove the planned final climb to the finish. After three stages, Pogačar held a lead of 48 seconds over Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious).
Stage 4: Pogačar took his third win in four stages at the Vuelta a Andalucía, outpacing Mas to soar to victory at the hilltop finish in Iznájar. The pair escaped the dwindling peloton on the penultimate major climb of the day, 12km from the line, only to be caught by chasers in the final 3 kms. Mas' acceleration in the finale dropped all but Pogačar, leaving the two riders to duel it out once again.
The Slovenian led overall classification with a 1:14 lead over Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious), who finished fourth on the stage.
Stage 5: A dominant Pogačar won the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol, his first stage race victory of the 2023 season and the 12th of his career. Landa finished second overall, 1:18 back and Buitrago was third, a further five seconds down. Mas ultimately finished fifth in the general classification.
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