Luis Ángel Maté Triumphs in the 37th Clásica de Almería
Luis Ángel Maté, a Marbella native, was a standout performer in the 37th edition of the Clásica de Almería, a cycling race held between Puebla de Vícar and Roquetas de Mar. The Euskaltel-Euskadi cyclist made a breakaway during the race, finishing just short of the finish line. He claimed the mountain classification and also won the combativity award.
Maté Continues to Impress in His Final Professional Season
Maté continues to perform at a high level at the start of this season, which will be his last as a professional cyclist. He is clearly tackling it with all the enthusiasm in the world. This Sunday, he participated in the Clásica de Almería, a 193-kilometer race, where he played a leading role. He made a breakaway during the day, which almost reached the finish line, and for the second consecutive year, he won the mountain classification and also claimed the combativity award.
Details of the Race
The breakaway was formed almost immediately after the start of the race with six riders: Maté (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Okamika (Burgos BH), Barta (Movistar), Vadic (Total), and two from Baleares, José María García and Asier González. They managed to gain a lead that reached almost six minutes over the peloton. Halfway through the race, with the advantage around three minutes, Asier González lost contact with the leading group, which was left with five members. With 56 kilometers to go, they had less than two minutes lead and their chances of reaching the finish line were starting to dwindle.
Maté’s Performance in the Mountainous Terrain
Luis Ángel Maté managed to score first in the four mountainous difficulties of the day: Celín (2nd), La Alquería (3rd), Fuente Marbella (3rd), and Almerimar (4th). With 27 kilometers to the finish line, already on the circuit by Roquetas de Mar, the breakaway was left with four and barely 28 seconds of advantage. In the end, with only 15 kilometers to go, the breakaway riders were caught by the peloton. The sprint victory went to Dutchman Olav Koolj (Visma), ahead of Matteo Moschetti (Q36.5) and Matteo Trentin (Tudor). Maté won the mountain classification with 17 points and also the combativity award.
Maté’s Upcoming Races
On Saturday, Maté competed in the Vuelta a la Región de Murcia and on Monday, he will race in the Clásica Jaén Paraíso Interior, before starting the Vuelta a Andalucía on Wednesday.
