The rider covered the route from Sangolquí to Ibarra, with a distance of 139 kilometers, with a time of three hours 26 minutes and seven seconds.
In that time, Montenegro stripped American Matt Govero of the leader’s jersey with an overall time of 18 hours, 38 minutes and 46 seconds.
Currently and with three remaining stages of the competition, the young man not only leads the general classification, but also continues to command the sub-23s.
Once the mountain phases have begun, tomorrow the riders will make the Ibarra-Tulcán route, of 19 kilometers.
The Tour of Ecuador began on December 8 in the port city of Guayaquil and will end on December 15 in the Middle of the World City, in this capital.
The competition, in which 14 teams participate, 12 of them local, has category 2.2 of the International Cycling Union.
ode / scm