Ruta del Sol: Maxim Van Gils takes overall victory in time trial at disrupted stage race

Maxim Van Gils (Lotto Dstny) was a surprise winner of the 4.9 km time trial stage at the disrupted Ruta del Sol Vuelta Ciclista Andalucía, stopping the clock in a time of 8:17.

The Spanish race should have been a five-day event, with hilly racing in the hills of southern Spain. However, the farmer protests have blocked roads and disrupted traffic in Spain and across Europe, derailing this year’s race.

Local police had to manage traffic and public order at the farmer protests, meaning they were no longer available for a similar role at the Ruta del Sol. Without police support, race safety could not be guaranteed and so the organisers were forced to first cancel the opening two stages, then the weekend stages too. Only the time trial survived.

Van Gils was making his 2024 season debut but is clearly on form and finished ten seconds ahead of his rivals. Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) was second in 8:27, just a few hundredths of a second ahead of Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious).

Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Dstny) started last and was the expected favourite but he suffered during the course and especially on the climb to the line, finishing out of the top ten.

The 4.9 km time trial covered a rolling circuit of Alcaudete, a village north of Granada. The early part of the course was on fast, wide roads, while the final kilometre climbed up into the centre of the village on cobbled roads.

With no time trial originally planned for the Ruta del Sol, teams travelled without time trial bikes and so it was agreed that the 4.9k time trial would also be held on standard road bikes, with riders looking for marginal aero gains by using aero helmets, skinsuits, aero socks and tweaks to their positions.

Rafał Majka (UAE Team Emirates) set an early fast time of 8:44 but he was soon beaten by Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious), who used his time trial skills and climbing ability to set a time of 8:27.

Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) rode aggressively on the rolling roads and on the climb up to the finish. He stayed in the smoother central gully on the cobbled sector but stopped the clock at 8:40.

Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) was an expected overall contender for the five-day race and he gave his all in the time trial, setting 8:33. Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates) managed to catch his minute-man but was off Van Gils' pace and set a time of 8:31.

Van Gils was significantly faster than everyone and almost missed by the television camera at the finish. He surprised everyone when he stopped the clock after just 8:17. That was suddenly the time to beat.

Ayuso then set the same 8:27 as Tiberi but that was not enough to beat Van Gils.

Campenaerts was last off and perhaps the pre-race favourite for victory. While other riders rocked and rolled in the saddle as they fought for maximum speed, the Belgian time trial expert sat still, focused on his speed and aero position.

He looked fast but perhaps wasn’t at his best. With a kilometre to go, it was clear that Campenaerts was out of contention and that his teammate Van Gils was going to take the win for Lotto Dstny.

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