Alexandre Geniez turned around what had been a very tough season for the Frenchman with a stunning solo victory in the Vuelta a Espana for the second time in his career.
Back in 2013, Geniez had a disappointing Tour de France, finishing 44th: But he was able to bounce back in the Vuelta with a solo victory at Peyragudes, one of the hardest Pyrenean stages of the Spanish Grand Tour that year with 5,000 metres of vertical climbing.
This season the 28-year-old was slated to lead FDJ in the Giro d’Italia, after taking ninth overall in the Italian race the year before. However, a serious mass pile up on stage 3 left Geniez nursing a serious wrist injury and, after having a spat with AG2R rider Hubert Dupont after the stage - which earned him a fine - Geniez then abandoned on stage 4. However, as he said after the Vuelta victory, he then worked very hard to try to reach the Spanish Grand Tour in top condition.
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Quite apart from pure strength, on stage 3's difficult challenge through the hills and extreme heat of Galicia, Geniez timed his effort perfectly. Even before the climb itself, he and Etixx-Quick Step’s Pieter Serry allowed fellow breakaway rider Simon Pellaud (IAM Cycling) to open up a gap on the second category Alto das Paixareiras. But whilst the Frenchman and Belgian both reeled the Swiss former U23 National champion back in, it was Geniez who dropped both Pellaud and Serry on the Ezaro itself.
Two minutes ahead at the foot of the climb, but 21 seconds clear at the summit, Geniez recognised "it's been a very difficult season with my crash in Italy. I've been working a lot and now I'm extremely happy. It's a big moment for me. It was close in the end but I got it."
The key to success, Geniez said, was "That the bunch had taken their time to start the chase and we had enough of an advantage to hold on on the climb. We knew we had a chance to stay away because it was a good breakaway. The peloton watched each other and waited too much and slowed. That gave us more time and more hope to pull it off."
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