Strong Start to the Season for Luis Ángel Maté in Saudi Arabia
Marbella-born cyclist Luis Ángel Maté has had a promising start to the season in Saudi Arabia, finishing in 13th place overall in the AlUla Tour. This five-day race concluded on Saturday with the queen stage. Maté tackled the challenging Harrat Uwayrid, with its gruelling inclines of up to 22% and an average gradient of 12.5%, where Simon Yates emerged victorious.
Final Stage of the AlUla Tour in Saudi Arabia’s Desert
The last and fifth stage of this race took place in the Saudi Arabian desert, featuring one of the toughest climbs in world cycling, the ascent to Harrat Uwayrid. Although it was only 2.8 kilometers long, the average gradient of 12.5% and inclines of up to 22% proved to be a formidable wall for the cyclists.
Breakaways and Regrouping in the Final Stage
There were breakaways until the peloton regrouped to tackle the final part of a stage that covered 105.2 kilometers. A quartet of cyclists took the lead, with British cyclist Simon Yates winning the sprint.
Luis Ángel Maté’s Performance in the Main Peloton
Marbella’s Luis Ángel Maté finished in the main peloton, 34 seconds behind the winner, which allowed him to make a significant leap in the rankings. He finished in 13th place overall, but with the same time as the tenth-place finisher, 45 seconds behind the race winner, Simon Yates.
Euskaltel-Euskadi’s Team Performance and Maté’s Future
The Euskaltel-Euskadi team finished seventh in the team rankings and was present in the breakaways every day, with Maté featuring in the third stage. This is a good start to the season for the Marbella cyclist, who is facing his final year as a professional cyclist.
