Clasica de Almeria 2010

Elite Men: 178km

Bos breaks through for first win with Cervelo

By:

Cycling News

Published:

February 28, 2010, 17:15,

Updated:

February 28, 2010, 19:41

Dutch fastman outpaces Cavendish in Spain

Theo Bos broke his 2010 duck to claim the Clásica de Almería on Sunday. The Dutchman, who joined Cervélo TestTeam at the start of this year, finished ahead of Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) and former-Rabobank teammate Graeme Brown.

The pedigree sprint finale came only after strong work from the teams of the fastmen. Bos admitted afterwards it was an atypical finish and that he had been fortunate to regain contact with the peloton at one point during the race.

"It was a pretty hard course today," said Bos. "At the beginning of the race I was in the second group along with Mark Cavendish. In the downhill I was too far behind and the group split. But fortunately Iñigo Cuesta, Philip Deignan and Marcel Wyss set the tempo on the front and we were able to come back into the peloton and prepare for the sprint.

"It was a strange situation in the final as no team was able to control the bunch. I was too far behind and nobody went and I was in pretty good position in the last 300 metres. When we got close to the finish nobody started to sprint so I decided to go full
gas. Cavendish waited too long and he was not able to pass me in the last few metres."

Bos also benefited from the assistance of talented Italian Davide Apollonio, who secured fourth after helping to guide Bos in the uphill finish.

Four to the floor

The break of the day included four riders who were able to escape the clutches of the peloton after 20 kilometres of racing. Sergio Carrasco (Andalucia-Cajasur), Gonzalo Rabuñal (Xacobeo), Michal Golas (Vacansoleil) and Xabier Zabalo (Orbea).

The quartet managed to build up a maximum advantage of seven minutes as they forged a path over the first of the day's three Category 3 climbs.

By the time the race had reached the second ascent, the Lucainena, the break's advantage had been annulled. As the peloton made its way up the slope it quickly became apparent that the pace would be too much for some. The main group split into two factions, Bos caught up in the second.

While HTC had managed to keep their man Cavendish in contact with the front group, a determined chase-back saw the peloton reform at the final climb of the day, La Serrata.

Early attacker Golas and Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) put in efforts enough to secure minor prizes for the day, but the teams of the sprinters weren't likely to pay any favours as they began to set-up for the finish.

A two-man move two kilometres from the finish was met with the expected response and although no team was able to take sole control of the lead-out Bos proved strong enough to hold off his rivals from 300 metres out.

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