Astana’s Villella comes close to podium at Vuelta a España Stage 5

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Another day at the Vuelta a España and another solid race for Astana Pro Team. It was Davide Villella, who did an impressive stage and finished very close to a Top-3, taking the fourth place. The Astana rider did part of a huge breakaway group, which went away after 60 kilometers of racing, Kazinform has learned from the team's press service.

- There are many attacks in our group, it was difficult to control all moves as many riders tried to escape from this big breakaway. I felt good and my legs worked really well. But, I missed just a little to follow the decisive attack. We worked a lot in the peloton, protecting Miguel Angel Lopez in the first kilometers and later I spent some energy to close attacks of the rivals. Yeah, finally, three riders broke away. I counterattacked on the climb, but later two more riders joined me. At the top of the last climb we stayed 1 minute away from the leading group. We chased hard and were close to catch them, but, in the end of the day I have a fourth place. It is just the first week and I hope to get another chance in the next stages, - said Davide Villella.

Three riders attacked from the breakaway, making a leading group, which was able to stay in front all the way to the finish line in Roquetas de Mar (after 188,7 km of racing). In the sprint it was Simon Clarke, who took the stage over Bauke Mollema and Alessandro De Marchi.

Davide Villella brought the chasing group to the finish 8 seconds later, taking a solid 4th place ahead of Floris De Tier and the new red jersey of La Vuelta Rudy Molard. Astana's leader Miguel Angel Lopez finished safety in the main peloton. After this stage he is 15th in the general classification, 1 minute 47 seconds behind Molard.

Astana still holds the lead in the team's classification of the Vuelta a España.