Darren Rafferty (EF Education-EasyPost) has continued to impress at O Gran Camiño, riding on the front today deep into the final of stage 3 in pursuit of eventual winner, Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike).
The Irish rider has been in with the big names this week, in wet and cold conditions, on hilly terrain where the racing has been aggressive. However, he has more than held his own and today was on the front of the group even in the final kilometre working for team mate, Richard Carapaz.
While race leader Vingegaard, who won every stage last year, was already up the road on the way to another victory, Rafferty was still helping to try and contain him at the end 173km of very tough racing into Castelo de Ribadavia.
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Rafferty was distanced today, just after Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers), from the 25-rider chasing group on an incline with about 3km to go. However, he fought his way back on with the Spanish rider and then went to the front for one last long pull.
That effort saw him spend the last of his resources, and when the road kicked up in the final stretch to the chequered flag, he slipped off the back of the group once more.
However, it was a great ride by the 20-year-old from Co Tyrone, who not only proved among the strongest group of riders through the stage, but was also able to make a contribution as the stage reached its conclusion.
Vingegaard attacked from a long way out today, on the final climb of Alto de Couso, with just over 21km to go. He quickly caught most of the early breakaway riders and dropped them, apart from the last of them, Pablo Castrillo (Kern Pharma), who held the Dane for a time.
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However, Castrillo was eventually dropped on the downhill, before a small group jumped off the front of the remains of the peloton behind in a bid to get a chase going after Vingegaard.
In the end, in a finale with some stinging kickers, Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) lined out the chase, making the final 15km or so extremely hard, with riders straining to hold the wheels even on the downhill sections.
That pressure ensured the group was further trimmed down, with Rafferty among those holding his place until he slipped off the back with 3km remaining before getting back in and getting on the front.
Vingegaard won solo, again, taking the victory today by 29 seconds from an 18-rider group led in by Carlos Canal (Movistar) from Quentin Pacher (Groupama-FDJ). Rafferty was 24th at 52 seconds and is now 22nd overall, some 3:10 off yellow jersey Vingegaard.
Tomorrow's final stage is a very tough 158.1km from Ponteareas to Tui, finishing on the cat 1 climb of Parque Natural de Monte Alola, which is 7.1km averaging eight per cent gradient.
Jonas Vingegaard makes it two wins in two days at O Gran Camiño ✅ ✅@ograncamino_igt | #OGC24 pic.twitter.com/Vj43FLvoBe
— Eurosport (@eurosport) February 24, 2024
