Cyclingnews

April 14, Stage 1: Burgos 157.7km

Bos the boss in Burgos

By:

Richard Tyler

Published:

April 14, 2010, 15:32,

Updated:

April 14, 2010, 20:39

Cervélo's sprint train on song in Spain

Photos

Theo Bos (Cervélo TestTeam) took his third victory of the season on Wednesday afternoon, as he sprinted to victory on the opening stage of the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon in Burgos, Spain. The Dutchman put the finishing touches on a well executed sprint lead-out by his Cervélo teammates.

Bos' win came at the expense of Graeme Brown (Rabobank) and Pablo Urtasun (Euskaltel-Euskadi), who finished second and third, respectively. It is the third time this year that Bos has relegated Brown to a podium position; the Australian finished within the minor placings at both of Bos' previous season wins.

By virtue of his stage victory, Bos also claimed the first leader's jersey of the race - the first general classification lead to be held by Cervélo this year.

"We decided today that we would work for me in the sprint," said Bos. "The plan was that we rode the last 25 kilometres full gas to hold everything together.

"Actually I didn't feel super well today, as I was pretty tired from Paris-Roubaix last weekend. But when the final started I came into a good position at the front, then my teammates brought me in the last kilometre to the front position but I didn't want to come early.

"I waited until I saw the sprinters coming up then I started my sprint as well. Brown, who was in my wheel, was not able to pass me and came second. Tomorrow is another change, probably it will be a sprint as well, we will again give our best. Hopefully we can do it again, why not?"

A touch of rain in Spain

Earlier, amid a flurry of rain showers, Iban Mayoz Echeverria (Footon-Servetto), José Vicente Toribio (Andalucía-Cajasur) and Marcos García (Xacobeo Galicia) had taken flight from the peloton after 15 kilometres of the 157.7 kilometre stage.

The trio worked for 15 kilometres to build themselves an advantage of 1:30, a gap that had doubled by kilometre 58. Mayoz led his companions over the Category 2, Alto de La Pedraja (at 72km), but the climb served as obstacle enough to knock their advantage back to the 1:30 mark.

The gap briefly ballooned back out to the two minutes, before the peloton re-doubled their efforts and cancelled the break after 71 kilometres of its existence.

The early capture gave ample time for further attackers to try their luck. Oleg Chuzdha (Caja Rural) and Mikel Ilundain (Orbea) were the next to test the patience of the peloton.

The Ukranian (Chuzdha) and Spanish (Ilundain) combination set off after 94 kilometres had been covered, and like their predecessors worked their way up to a maximum advantage of three minutes.

Astana had set the pace for much of the day, but with 37 kilometres to race Cervélo TestTeam came to the fore as they primed themselves to set up Theo Bos for the finish in Burgos.

The impetus of Cervélo's men in black quickly carved away at the leaders' advantage, as Ilundain succumbed to the pressure and dropped out of the breakaway with 17 kilometres to go.

Four kilometres later, the gap to the now sole leader was reduced to a little over a minute. Astana's involvement in the chase placed even further pressure on Chuzdha's hopes of an improbable stage win as he entered the final 10 kilometres with 0:50 in hand.

Three kilometres later, the telltale backwards glances of the leader began. Chuzdha's body language was a sign that he was resigned to his fate, which, with four kilometres to go, had been fulfilled.

Now at the head of affairs Cervélo's effort shifted from chasing to leading as Bos hovered at the back of his train. Two riders attempted to disrupt Cervélo's plans as the red kite passed overhead, but these, too, were neutralised quickly.

With no obstacles left to overcome, Bos rewarded his teammates' faith as he finished off the stage with a well taken sprint win, ahead of Graeme Brown (Rabobank) and Euskaltel sprinter Pablo Urtasun.

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