Luis Ángel Maté, a Marbella Native, Escapes in the Third Stage in Saudi Arabia
Luis Ángel Maté, a native of Marbella, was a key player this Thursday in the third stage of the AlUla Tour taking place in Saudi Arabia. He managed to break away from the pack and rode alongside two other cyclists, at one point gaining a five-minute lead over the peloton. Although they were eventually caught, Maté managed to break away again, his adventure ending 20 kilometers from the finish line, where Belgian cyclist Tim Merlier claimed victory.
Euskaltel-Euskadi Maintains Presence at the Front of the Race
Once again, the Euskaltel-Euskadi team maintained a presence at the front of the race, this time with Marbella’s own Luis Ángel Maté, who managed to break away early on. Several riders attempted to break away, but ultimately it was Maté, Japanese cyclist Koishi (JCL), and Greek cyclist Tzortzakis (Roojai) who managed to form the breakaway group. Despite the flat stage, the race was complicated by the presence of rain, unusual for a race taking place in the desert.
Breakaway Group Gains Five-Minute Lead
The three breakaway riders managed to gain a five-minute lead over a fragmented peloton. With 76 kilometers to go, they were caught, but shortly after, Maté and Tzortzakis managed to break away again, forming a second breakaway group. They maintained a one-minute lead until they were caught just over 20 kilometers from the finish line.
Belgian Cyclist Tim Merlier Claims Victory
The victory went to Belgian cyclist Tim Merlier (Quick-Step), who sprinted ahead of Arvid de Kleijn (Tudor) and Casper van Uden (DSM), who regained the overall lead. Maté crossed the finish line with the main peloton, placing 28th with the same time as the winner. He also gained five points in the intermediate sprints.
Related News: Luis Ángel Maté Begins His Final Season in Saudi Arabia
In related news, Luis Ángel Maté has begun his final season in Saudi Arabia. The race was broadcast on Eurosport 2 and on the Eurosport app, with Spanish cyclist Luis Ángel Maté featured in the day’s breakaway.
