Having been out of competition with prostatitis for most of the season, Vicente Reynes made a great comeback at the highest level when he sprinted to second in today's stage of the Vuelta a Espana. Claiming that he has never been climbing better, the Spaniard said that the result felt like a victory.

IAM Cycling continues to shine on the overheated roads of the Tour of Spain.  At the end of the 164.7 kilometer fourth stage which ran between Mairena del Alcor and Cordoba, Vicente Reynes nearly upset John Degenkolb with a beautiful sprint. 

Reynes may have given up ground to Degenkolb, but still out-sprinted Michael Matthews, the current leader in the overall classification, as well as Daniel Martin, Alexandr Kolobnev and other experts on a parcours like this.  A place on the stage podium is a fine reward for the Spaniard Reynes, who suffered throughout much of the early season with chronic prostatitis.
 
While recovering in his ice-water bath shortly after the finish of the stage, Reynes could not hide his joy and was keen to thank the entire team for their continual confidence and the support they have provided. 

“This 2nd place is like a win.  I had a good day despite the heat.  On the climbs, I’ve never felt so good.  I guess the training camp in Bernina is really paying off. 

"I would like to dedicate this result to the whole team and especially my coach Marcello Albasini, as well as the whole medical corps that worked so hard to get me well.  And of course, I want to thank my family, which has stood by me throughout all my difficult weeks. 

"Today, I stayed calm in the middle of the pack.  And in the end, I found Degenkolb’s wheel and just followed that.  When Tony Martin attacked, I chose to follow him since my only chance was to catch everyone by surprise, since the sprinters were going very fast.  That’s why I launched my sprint as early as 300 meters from the line.  I have no regrets; in any case, the best won today.

“I started sprinting when Tony Martin got caught but John Degenkolb was simply faster than me. I’m happy with this second place at the end of a very hot day. It’s another second place like three years ago at the beginning of the Vuelta but I’ll try again.”

 
In light of the stage, Marcello Albasini, one of the directeurs sportifs with Mario Chiesa, praised the bravery of his rider. 

“I’ve always believed in Vincente’s quality.  The stage was very difficult with the heat ranging between 42 and 43 degrees Celsius.  But I had no idea that he would be able to match the bunch over the climbs.  He did it on his own and this 2nd place is his great result. 

"During our training in the Grison Alps, he was already in good shape, and there he was able to bring his level up another significant notch.  By sprinting for the win, he has also reassured us all that he is no longer in pain, which is now nothing but a bad memory.  With this form, I think he has a chance to surprise us more than once.”