Emotional stage win for Castrillo in Spanish Vuelta on the day his team’s founder dies

MANZANEDA, Spain (AP) — Pablo Castrillo picked up an emotional stage win in the Spanish Vuelta on Thursday, the day his team’s founder died.

Castrillo gave Kern Pharma the victory in the 12th stage a few hours after the team said its founder and former president, Manolo Azcona, died at the age of 71.

“How happy Manolo would be,” the team said in a statement. “This one is for you.”

It was the first Grand Tour stage victory — and first professional triumph — for the 23-year-old Castrillo.

“It really is a very special day,” he said. “I can’t believe I’ve won in my first Vuelta (stage). I dedicate this win to my team, to my family and above to all to a very special person, Manolo Azcona. I thought about him the whole stage, to win as a tribute.”

There were no changes in the general classification after the 137.5-kilometer (85-mile) route that ended with a long climb into the city of Manzaneda in northwest Spain.

Ben O’Connor kept the leader’s red jersey. The Australian remained more than three minutes ahead of three-time Vuelta champion Primoz Roglic and Enric Mas.

Friday’s 13th stage will be a 176-kilometer (109-mile) route through the summits of Galicia.

“Tomorrow is an extremely hard finish,” O’Connor said. “It will be one of the most important days since the start of this race.”

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