The stage covered a 23.5-kilometer route with 608 meters of positive elevation gain, featuring a technical course affected by recent rains and a light wind that added to the challenge. Staggered starts allowed for an intense battle against the clock.
In the women's category, Dutch rider Tessa Kortekaas once again demonstrated her superiority. Starting last, she controlled the race and overtook her rivals, including Sophie Giovane, to win with a time of 1:04:49. Canary Islands cyclists Lourdes Bethencourt and Vanessa Lessa finished third and fourth, respectively.
The men's category witnessed a thrilling duel between Pedro Rodríguez and Hans Becking, who were tied in the general classification. Becking capitalized on a favorable tailwind and his course knowledge to establish a lead from the start, being almost a minute ahead of Rodríguez at the first checkpoint. The Dutchman completed the time trial in 52 minutes and 54 seconds, securing the stage victory and the overall lead.
The fight for the best Canary Islands rider lead was also intense, with Pedro Rodríguez and Blas Rivero engaging in a close head-to-head battle on the climb. The excitement continued until the end, with minimal differences between the top male finishers.
“"Today I felt strong. I started at a high pace to also control the second-placed rider who started just ahead of me, Sophie. I caught her very early and rode at my own pace, controlling the distance. It's a luxury to start last because you have the rivals in front of you and you can control them, plus you don't have to take risks on the descents, where there was a lot of rock and one mistake can make you fall."
“"It's always a very beautiful stage, I know it well. The tailwind helped and I really enjoyed the feeling of going alone against time in the mountains. I knew where I had to push. There are still two days ahead, longer and more fun stages. Now the pressure as leader is on me, so strategy will be key."
The competition will continue with the third stage, the Cañón del Águila, and the Half modality. The event, organized by Arista Eventos and sponsored by Fred. Olsen Express, has the support of various institutions and companies.
