Nelson Oliveira continued what has been a great grand tour season for Lampre-Merida when he emerged as the strongest from a 24-rider breakaway to win the hilly stage 13 of the Vuelta a Espana. Launching a strong solo attack, he time trialled his way to the victory as he managed to hold off his chasers despite their hard efforts.

 

In the Giro d’Italia, Jan Polanc took an impressive solo win for Lampre-Merida and in the Tour de France it was Ruben Plaza who emerged as the strongest from a breakaway. Today the Italian team firmly established themselves as the kings of the grand tour breakaways as Nelson Oliveira made the hattrick by emerging as the strongest in the difficult stage 13 of the Vuelta a Espana.

 

Throughout the entire race, Oliveira has proved that he is one of the strongest riders in Spain. With no GC rider in the team, he has had a rare chance to chase personal success and he has been very eager to do so. He was already in the break in the first road stage and since then he has been on the attack several times.

 

Two days ago he again underlined his great condition when he was 11th in the queen stage and today he was eager to capitalize on his form in a stage that seemed to be destined for a breakaway. Joined by teammates Valerio Conti and Ruben Plaza, he was part of a 24-rider group that emerged after a frantic start to the race and he turned out to be in a class of his own.

 

The victory is the 5th in his career, the first obtained outside of his National Championships. For LAMPRE-MERIDA, it is the 24th seasonal victory (6 in the grand tours, 8 in the World Tour).

 

Unfortunately, LAMPRE-MERIDA had to face bad news. Mattia Cattaneo quit the race in the early part of the stage.

"This is the most beautiful victory in my career," Oliveir said. "I had won the Portuguese championship, such emotional successes for me, but the feelings I had today are something I can't describe.

 

"It's so good to share this joy with my team, from which I have always received a full support, not only today with the perfect help by Valerio and Rubén, but during the whole Vuelta and the whole season.

 

"I think LAMPRE-MERIDA fully deserved a victory because we approached every stage with a battling spirit and we made every stage very exciting.

 

"The feelings during the Vuelta have been good, I was in the front of the race in the queen stage too and I tried to attack, but I could not achieve a top result so I tried today again.

 

"It was a stage I had written down on the road book. I tried from the start but then with such a big group, we didn't work so well together. I tried to go early even it it was a bit crazy but I had good legs and I was hoping that with such a big group, it would be difficult for them to get organized to chase behind me.

 

"They were the longest 30 km in my whole life. I'm very happy about what I did. But I must thank my team-mates and especially Ruben Plaza and Valerio Conti who were in the break and worked very hard to quash the attacks behind me. They did a hell of a job. I thank the whole staff of Lampre.

 

"To win my first international victory in such a grand Tour as the Vuelta, it's definitely one of the happiest days in my life.

 

"The plan was to go in the break as we were almost certain  that it would go all the way. It worked for me and for the whole team. Seeing that the group was not working too well together we decided to attack in the last climb. Then I decided to go on my own and since I'm a time trial specialist, it was a time trial all the way to the finish line.

 

"I'm pretty good in time trials and it was a plus, especially with the headwind. With my power and my strength I managed to be consistent in the last 30 km. It was an advantage against the others. And my team-mates did the rest.

 

"I attacked maybe too early, but in that moment the breakaway members were recovering and being aware that I needed to anticipate if I wanted to win, I decided to attack.

 

"Then when I went for it, it was a long way out and it could have been a completely mad attack, but I was finally able to make it work. As my first international win, it's certainly a good one.

 

"There aren't many chances left in this Vuelta and we have three very hard days ahead of us. But we're going to continue to try and if we can, go in the breaks.

 

"I'm a little bit too far down in the KOM classification but it could be possible for Ruben. We have to see how the race goes, if there's a break or something.