Welcome back for the final stage of Tour Colombia 2.1: will Sagan be able to hold on also on the endless climb of Alto de las Palmas? The Slovak has to manage a narrow advantage of 14 seconds on Nairo Quintana and also other big threats like Majka, Alaphilippe or López are close behind him.
A large break of 20 men went out in the first part of the stage and now, when the race reached the first slopes of Alto de las Palmas, still remain the lead these five riders: Mekseb Debesay and Miguel Ángel Ballesteros for Molteni, Enrico Barbin (Bardiani-CSF), William David Muñoz (Bicicletas Strongman) and latvian champion. Krists Neilands (Israel Cycling Academy). They have more than 3 minutes of advantage on the peloton with 6 km to go, so is highly likely that the winner of Tour Colombia's queen stage will be one of them!
Ballesteros sacrifice himself for Debesay, keeping the peloton far enough to secure the success of the break. But at 2.5 km from the finish is the Italian Enrico Barbin to go solo. Mekseb Debesay and Krists Neilands try to reply, out of the game Muñoz and, obviously, Ballesteros.
Inside the last kilometre, and Mekseb Debesay almost catched Barbin, while is not seen anymore Neilands. That's the duel for the victory!
Debesay's comeback stops just at a breath from the target: the conquerer of Alto de las Palmas is Enrico Barbin! Behind him the colombian champion Miguel Ángel López at 13 seconds and at the assault of the orange jersey of Peter Sagan!
Mekseb Debesay finishes in third place at 22 seconds, immediately before of the GC group with all the others big.
6th stage: El Retiro > Alto de las Palmas
1
Enrico Barbin
Bardiani - CSF
4:45:49
2
Miguel Angel López
Astana
+00:13
3
Mekseb Debesay
Molteni Arcore
+00:22
4
Nairo Quintana
Movistar
+00:22
5
Peter Sagan
Bora - Hansgrohe
+00:22
6
Esteban Cháves
Mitchelton - Scott
+00:22
7
Richard Carapaz
Movistar
+00:22
8
Julian Alaphilippe
Deceuninck - Quick Step
+00:22
9
Bob Jungels
Deceuninck - Quick Step
+00:22
10
Rigoberto Urán
EF Education First
+00:22
Amazing job for Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe), who holds out giving barely 22 seconds to López and managing to defend his leadership: Tour Colombia 2.1 goes to the Slovak!
Final General classification Tour Colombia 2.1 2019
Enrico Barbin
Miguel Angel López
Mekseb Debesay
Peter Sagan
Richard Carapaz
Julian Alaphilippe
Bob Jungels
Rafal Majka
Felix Grossschartner
Mattia Cattaneo
