With the designated team leader Andrey Kashechkin losing more time today, Astana’s Fredrik Kessiakoff looks almost certain to be the squad’s protected rider for the remainder of the Vuelta a España.
The Swedish competitor placed 19th on today’s fourth stage to the top of Sierra Nevada, crossing the line in the chase group 11 seconds behind stage winner Dani Moreno (Katusha). The performance saw him jump from twelfth to seventh overall, 59 seconds behind the new race leader Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step), and puts him in a very strong position.
“It was not an easy stage,” he said afterwards. “At first I felt really good, I was very focused and I tried to keep a good position. Then in the first part of the second climb, I started feeling a little tired, so I am positioned myself in the middle of the pack without attempting to attack in order to keep my strength for the rest of the race.”
That tactic paid off well for him. Kashechkin was less successful, placing 140th, 18 minutes 27 seconds back. He had lost over three minutes yesterday and is now back in 86th overall. He said before the race that he was aiming for a top five finish in Madrid.
Kessaikoff recently won the Tour of Austria and hopes to perform strongly in the final general classification. He feels it is best to be sensible and conserve energy where possible. “I feel good right now. I am satisfied with my condition but I also know that there is still a long road before arriving in Madrid, so I'll do my best and will try to keep my strength.”