In bicycle racing, it can be difficult to process information. Especially when you are reaching speeds of 50 km/h and time differences are coming through your earphones in several languages. Brandon McNulty was only vaguely aware that race leader Remco Evenpoel was more than a minute behind the lead group led by his UAE team, Emirates Airline.

"I wasn't really aware of the gap. The radio was mostly Italian, so I left it to (Fernando) Gaviria and (Max) Richeze," McNulty, who finished third at the summit of Alto Colorado and moved up to fourth overall, told Cycling News.

"We knew there was a chance that a crosswind could split the race, so we were very careful. When it did, everyone kept a good position and drove it. I think it worked out well for us because we put some of the favorites for the win in a tough spot."

McNulty was in his first race with UAE Team Emirates, which he joined from Rallye in the off-season, but was handed the reins of leadership in Argentina and Gaviria and Richeze fought hard for him, especially on Friday.

When Evenepoel and Oscar Sevilla (Team Medellín) were caught in a split, the alliance of UAE Team Emirates and Bora-Hansgrohe riders created a large gap. On the long, shallow climb to Alto Colorado, McNulty was virtually on the podium, and at one point the possibility of an overall win was in sight.

But in the last 20km, Evenpoel again showed his strength. With his teammate gone, the white jersey was the driving force behind closing the gap that had at one point been 1:18. He was just about to cross the junction when the Alto Colorado began with about 14km to go. McNulty, wearing the green jersey of the best young rider borrowed from overall leader Evenpoel, jumped out of the lead group with Juan Javier Merivillo (Pocito).

"I'm not sure what my first move was," McNulty said. Everyone was looking at each other and I went up the side and accelerated a little bit." But it was good to get in front while the rest of the guys were coming back."

"I was able to get back in front of the others," he said.

The American went on the offensive again with 10km to go, this time with a revitalized Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), and when Evenpoel brought order back after 1500m, it was clear that his hold on the overall lead was no longer in doubt. McNulty's focus switched to trying for the stage win. With less than five kilometers to go, he knew that he would not be able to gain more than a minute on Lemko and Sevilla,"

McNulty said.

After some speculation fizzled out in the last few kilometers, Miguel Flores (Androni Cidermec) broke away from the lead group with just over 500 meters to go and took the stage win. McNulty responded better than the rest of the field, but only finished third behind Sevilla.

"I think it's the altitude that makes it hard to punch," McNulty said. 'It's January; it's January. I'm good with the long engines, but I'm not so good with the sprints. But third place was good. I'm not explosive yet, but I will be."

McNulty moved into fourth place overall, 1:21 behind Evenpoel and 20 seconds ahead of Sevilla in third.

The 21-year-old was one of the latecomers in Tuesday's time trial to Punta Negra and faced a more severe headwind than those ahead of him in the overall standings. Had he ridden in sunnier conditions, McNulty might have had a shot at the podium.

"I'm not going to sit here and tell you we lost because of the wind. But it was really windy when I got there."