Yates secures milestone GC victory at O Gran Camiño as Pinarello takes maiden stage win

Alessandro Pinarello (NSN) claimed his first professional win on the fifth and final stage of O Gran Camiño that finished atop the steep uphill finish in Alto Monte Santa Trega as Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) sealed the GC victory. 

At the finish of the Alto Monte Santa Trega, Yates defended his yellow jersey with a front-footed performance, pushing the pace on the final climb, which saw a four-man group sprint it out for victory. 

Pinarello launched his sprint first, and would hold on for the stage victory ahead of Jørgen Nordhagen (Visma | Lease a Bike), Yates, and Iván Romeo (Movistar). 

In the process, Yates sealed the GC, marking his first overall victory of the season, having made the key difference on stage 4. Nordhagen finished 2nd in the GC at 32 seconds, while Pinarello ended in 3rd at 48 seconds. 

Yates’ one-week stage race record reads better than most, with the British rider securing a milestone 10th GC win as a professional. Ultimately, it’s another step in the right direction ahead of Yates’ two major appointments this season at the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France.

Yates had set his stall out on stage 4, taking the stage win and yellow jersey, meaning that the fifth and final stage would be all about consolidating the race lead.

A seven-rider breakaway formed, featuring Gorka Sorarrain (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Nadav Raisberg (NSN), Diego Uriarte (Equipo Kern Pharma), Sinuhé Fernández (Burgos Burpellet BH), Carlos Miguel Salgueiro (Team Tavira/Crédito Agrícola), Santiago Mesa and former race leader Rafael Reis (Anicolor/Campicarn).

Sorarrain, Fernández and Uriarte were the final three riders remaining from the break, and the trio would be caught with 27km remaining by the New Zealand champion George Bennett, who attacked from the peloton and went clear on the Alto da Valga. Jon Castellon (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) bridged across to the Kiwi, but the duo would be caught by a reduced GC group of around 20 riders.

The front group swelled in size on the descent of the Alto de Valga with 14km remaining, shortly before Castellon attacked once more towards the bottom of the descent, and quickly built an advantage of over 30 seconds.

Visma | Lease a Bike led the chase into the foot of the Alto Monte Santa Trega with 3.6km remaining, which saw Castellon caught. Kevin Vermaerke (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) controlled the tempo, setting up the race leader, who made his first move with 2km remaining. 

Only Romeo, Nordhagen and Pinarello were able to follow the British rider, and onto the steep cobbled finish, Pinarello launched an early sprint with nobody able to come around the 22-year-old Italian.