The first part of the event consisted of a climbing time trial: the riders would compete against each other on the Coll de la Gallina, an 11.7-kilometer climb at 8.4 percent. Later in the day, a criterium in Andorra City would follow, where the men would start together this time. So, two challenging rides in one day for the contenders.
Del Toro was the first to start the time trial, followed by Roglic, followed by Vingegaard, followed by Pogacar. Who was the best on the Coll de la Gallina? Who knows, because the organization didn’t release any information.
City circuit with rows of spectators
After the climb time trial, it was time for the city race. In the heart of the capital of the tiny state, those four riders would compete against each other. This made for some unusual images: a cordoned-off circuit, surrounded by fans, but only four men on the road. On the winding streets of Andorra City, they fought a fine battle.
First, Roglic took off, but he was caught later, followed by Del Toro, who also couldn’t keep up. Those two seemed to pay the price: Pogacar and Vingegaard pulled away in the final laps, but the chasers still managed to catch up. In the sprint, Del Toro was narrowly the best, ahead of Roglic and Pogacar.