Team Dimension Data’s Omar Fraile was crowned King of the Mountains on the final stage of the Vuelta a Espana yesterday.
Having never won a competition classification and jersey at a grand tour before, it was the African team’s goal to win the King of the Mountains at the Vuelta.
Team Dimension Data’s Omar Fraile was crowned King of the Mountains at the Vuelta a Espana yesterday. Photo: Stiehl Photography
“It has been a very tough Vuelta a Espana this year. We were riding well as a team but the stage win was just not going our way,” said Fraile.
“I really wanted to win the Mountains jersey and it was a big goal for the team.”
Magnus Cort Nielsen (Orica-BikeExchange) took the stage honours ahead of Daniele Bennati (Tinkoff) and Gianni Meersman (Etixx-Quickstep).
Kristian Sbaragli put in another strong sprint to claim fourth place for the African team.
Nairo Quintana (Movistar) won the Vuelta a Espana overall.
It was a late afternoon start in Las Rozas as the peloton rolled away for the final 104km stage to Madrid.
The early part of the stage saw riders able to enjoy the opening kilometres at a comfortable pace, reflecting on the last three weeks, which included many ups and downs.
As expected the finale on the city circuit ended in a mass sprint.
Team DiData have had difficult days at this year’s race, such as when they lost Igor Anton and Nathan Haas to illness.
Jacques Janse van Rensburg crashed heavily on stage 14 but despite fractures to his collarbone, hip and ribs, he fought valiantly to finish the final 130km of that particular stage.
