BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Andreas Kron of Denmark won a rainy second stage of the Spanish Vuelta that local media reported was marred when several competitors rode over thumbtacks on Sunday.
Broadcaster TVE showed a thumbtack that its reporter on a motorbike found on the course. This summer’s Tour de France was also troubled by thumbtacks tossed on the road.
Both defending champion Remco Evenepoel of Soudal-Quickstep and two-time Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard had punctures, according to their teams, although neither specified if they were caused by thumbtacks. Three-time Vuelta winner Primoz Roglic fell but was not hurt and rejoined the peloton.
Kron of Lotto DSTNY team was the first to cross the finish line atop a hill in Barcelona after the 182-kilometer (113-mile) hilly course from Mataro.
Because of the heavy rain that fell through the night and into the morning, race organizers decided that the times for the general classification were taken several kilometers (miles) from the finish. Bonus seconds were still awarded at the finish line.
The decision came after several riders, including Evenepoel, complained about the poor conditions during the opening stage on Saturday. A rainstorm wet the streets of Barcelona and left the last teams with scant visibility. Several riders went down, without any reported injuries, during that opening team time trial.
Italy’s Andrea Piccolo leads after two stages.
Evenepoel has a 26-second lead over Vingegaard and Roglic, his top challengers.
On Monday, Stage 3 is a 158-kilometer (98-mile) mountainous ride from Súria to Andorra that includes two category-one climbs.
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