Leopard Trek’s Danish leader still riding to top ten plan but wants to see how far he can go
After strong performances in both Vuelta a España mountain stages to date, and an excellent performance in Monday’s long time trial, Jakob Fuglsang (Leopard Trek) is in second place overall. The 26-year-old Dane sits just twelve seconds behind race leader Chris Froome (Team Sky), and but doesn’t think he will be on the attack on the third mountain stage to Estación de Esquí Alto de la Manzaneda, to take back the red jersey that he held after Leopard Trek’s victory in the stage one team time trial.
“It’s still very open,” said Fuglsang before the stage start in Verín. ‘More or less any rider from the top 20 can still hope to win the Vuelta. I’ll ride in defence today.
“I’m still going for my top 10 plan. It’s still too early to say how far I can end up.”
Fuglsang sits just eight seconds clear of Froome’s Sky teammate Bradley Wiggins, with defending champion Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) ominously just 19 seconds behind him. With plenty of mountains to go in the remaining eleven stages of the Vuelta, the Dane will have to work hard to hold onto, or improve, his position.
Leopard Trek Lars Michaelson is one that has confidence in the ability of Fuglsang, who has long been regarded as the next big hope for Danish cycling, but is wary of the 26-year-old’s consistency over a three-week race.
“Jakob Fuglsang has always had bad days but he hasn’t had any yet during this Vuelta, said Michaelson before the start. “He comes from MTB, he’s got the legs to accompany the best riders but he’s keen to give up when he doesn’t feel good; so we are working on his mentality.”