Published on : 09/10/2026
The Vuelta riders faced the second individual time trial of this year’s race on Thursday. Between El Puerto de Santa María and Jerez de la Frontera, 32 almost entirely flat kilometres awaited the riders on a day mainly suited to the specialists against the clock.
After doing invaluable work for the team since the start of the Vuelta, Alexis Renard did not start Stage 18. The six remaining Cofidis riders set off one by one on this fast course, with a mostly favourable tailwind. With no specific objective in the time trial, the team managed its efforts ahead of another mountain stage on Friday, with the ambition of being represented in the breakaway.
Reaction:
Gorka Gerrikagoitia, Sports Director
“It was a time trial for the pure specialists, on an almost entirely flat course with a tailwind. For us, the main objective was to manage our efforts and save some energy for the stages ahead. Tomorrow, we have a mountain stage and we’ll try to get into the breakaway.”