It had been a long time since we had seen Mavi Garcia at the front, with many problems for the Majorcan athlete that had forced her too often to chase and stay far from the positions that matter. Today she tried, she believed, and for her one of the most important victories of her career arrived, in the face of those who think that at 41 a sportsperson's career is necessarily over.

"I can't believe what just happened," she said after crossing the finish line, explaining how her attack was almost destined to fail. "Honestly, I thought the group would catch me at any moment. I kept looking back and saw the other girls were recovering. Then at a certain point I realized what was happening, with 5 meters to go, and that's when I understood."

Many, too many problems have characterized the recent seasons of the Liv Alula Jayco athlete, who from being a contender in grand tours found herself facing never-perfect form. Even the Tour de France seemed destined to have the same outcome - a crash in yesterday's inaugural stage had put Mavi out of the general classification, but with her great experience she not only reinvented herself but seized one of the most special victories of her career. "I've been practicing this sport for many years and the last seasons haven't gone as I wanted. I tried to hold on, everything was very complicated, and I reached the point where I wanted to say stop, I wanted to retire. Today's victory, however, gives me incredible energy and the desire to continue and give my maximum."

At the finish line, the emotion is immense. Mavi Garcia is wrapped in the embrace of her teammates who have witnessed her difficulties and can now see what is effectively a true rebirth. "Mavi and I are more than teammates, we are true friends and we often share a room. Seeing her win is emotional, I'm very happy for her, she deserves it all. The team was really strong all day, and during the last kilometer I used all my remaining energy to shout on the radio and spur Mavi not to give up," said Letizia Paternoster, one of the athletes closest to the Majorcan and certainly one of the most emotional.