Briton Hugh Carthy stays in touch as Primoz Roglic wins time trial to retake Vuelta a...

[ASFN Admin]

Britain’s Hugh Carthy delivered an impressive performance in Tuesday's individual time trial at the Vuelta a Espana, finishing fourth on stage 13 to remain third overall and right in contention. An intriguing race looks as if it is heading for the wire with the lead changing hands once again as Primoz Roglic [Jumbo-Visma] won his fourth stage of the race to leapfrog Richard Carapaz [Ineos Grenadiers]. It was the third time Roglic had taken the red leader’s jersey in this race. The Slovenian clocked 46:39 to beat American Will Barta [CCC] by a solitary second. Roglic was 49 seconds faster than Carapaz, who dropped to second overall at 39sec. Carthy, the lanky 26 year-old from Preston, is only eight seconds further back after an excellent performance against the clock. The 6ft4in rider matched Roglic pedal stroke for pedal stroke in the early part of the 33.7km course, before a superior bike change and strong finish from Roglic saw him grab a handful of seconds up to the line in Mirador de Ézaro. The final climb had an eye-watering average gradient of 14.8 per cent. “It’s beautiful, eh? It’s a long time since I won a time trial. I felt strong, surprisingly. I thought I would suffer a lot more,” Roglic told Eurosport. Earlier, race organisers announced that all riders and other members of the ‘race bubble’ were tested for coronavirus, for a fourth time, on their rest day. All 681 tests came back negative. Meanwhile, Richard Freeman’s medical tribunal will continue through lockdown according to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service. Dr Freeman, who has been accused by the General Medical Council of ordering 30 sachets of Testogel to the National Cycling Centre in 2011 "knowing or believing" it was intended to boost an athlete's performance, is still being cross-examined at his hearing which began nearly two years ago. Freeman’s QC, Mary O'Rourke, complained on Tuesday that the GMC’s lawyers had more than doubled the number of documents submitted in evidence since her client entered the witness box, claiming Simon Jackson QC was trying to "ambush" him as a cross-examination expected to last five days continued into a fifth week. Freeman, who has admitted 18 of 22 charges against him, including ordering the testosterone and lying about it, but denies the central charge of seeking to dope a rider, also complained his cross-examination was being dragged out unnecessarily, saying: "There is a line in a poem, 'Never ending, still beginning', and that is what I feel about this [cross-examination].” The hearing window expires on November 26 and there are fears the tribunal could drag on into next year, although the MPTS announcement yesterday that it would continue to hear evidence through lockdown, albeit “part-virtual” was encouraging. “Following the announcement of additional restrictions across England the MPTS has considered the guidance and as a public service our hearing centre will remain open,” a statement read. “The tribunal has decided the hearing will reconvene next week as a part-virtual hearing to allow the doctor to continue his evidence in person.” The tribunal will continue on Monday.

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