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14th Challenge Illes Balears - 1.1 (x5)
Spain, February 6-10, 2005
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Stage 4 - February 9: Soller-Port de Soller (Trofeo Soller), 150.6 km
Valverde unstoppable
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Just as Oscar Freire won the first two stages, Alejandro Valverde (Illes Balears) has taken out stages 3 and 4 of the Challenge Illes Balears. Although he didn't win solo today, Valverde had the speed to outsprint a group of eight riders that came into Port de Soller together. Ricardo Serrano (Kaiku) and Aitor Pérez (Spiuk) finished second and third, while Valverde kept the overall lead and should successfully defend it in tomorrow's final stage.
Valverde and his teammate Toni Colom attacked on the Coll De Puig Major with 17 km to go, and were joined on the descent by Adolfo Garcia Quesada and David Muñoz (Comunidad Valenciana), Aitor Pérez (Spiuk), Ricardo Serrano (Kaiku), Iker Camaño (Euskadi) José A. Gómez (Saunier Duval). The eight remained together until the finish, where Valverde had no problems in taking the win.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Franklin Tello/Franklin Tello Photography
- Alejandro Valverde of team Illes Balears is showing great early season form, and is a very charismatic crowd favourits.
- Tony Colom (Illes Balears) - the winner of last year’s edition, in good spirits for the start of the stage
- Alejandro Valverde signs a few autographs for his Mallorcan fans
- Javier Benítez (Relax-Fuenlabrada) broke away from the peloton right after the first climb of the day.
- Team Illes Balears controls the breakaway as they pass one of Mallorca’s famous windmills
- Pablo Lastras (Illes Balears) focused on keeping Alejandro Valverde safe in the head of the peloton
- The early breakaway - Stephan Schreck (T-Mobile), Adrián Palomares (Kaiku), Rubén Pérez (Orbea) and Anttón Luengo (Eukaltel-Euskadi) stayed away for the first quarter of the race
- Illes Balears keeps control of the breakaway while the weather keeps changing between patches of sun, and heavy rain clouds.
- The peloton goes through the streets of Pollensa
- The breakaway starts the long climb to the top of Coll de Sa Batalla
- Stephan Schreck (T-Mobile) and Anttón Luengo (Eukaltel-Euskadi) can’t hold on to the pace of Adrián Palomares (Kaiku) and Rubén Pérez (Orbea)
- A few sheep pasturing, as the breakaway realizes that the peloton will catch them soon
- Rubén Pérez (Orbea) gives it one more go, and breaks free from the breakaway
- Anttón Luengo (Eukaltel-Euskadi) and Adrián Palomares (Kaiku) try to chase, but the long day in the mountain starts to get to them
- Rubén Pérez (Orbea) keeps increasing his small lead over the breakaway
- Team Illes Balears keeps up the pressureand works hard to control the race
- Erik Zabel (T-Mobile) keeps a watchful eye near the front of the race. It will be a fast descent into Port de Sóller, and if he can make it up the mountain fast enough, he might have a good chance at the finish
- Xabier Zandio and Aitor Osa of Illes Balears share a joke before the second climb of the day
- Mallorca’s own Toni Tauler grabs a feed bag along with the hungry peloton
- The breakaway together again before being swallowed by the peloton
- Comunidad Valenciana share the work with Illes Balears. Here is Javier Pascual Llorente taking a long pull up front.
- Angel Casero and José Luis Martínez (Comunidad Valenciana) along with Alejandro Valverde (Illes Balears)
- The front of the peloton - Comunidad Valenciana, and Illes Balears
- The peloton climbs through the streets of Selva, Mallorca
- Illes Balears leading the peloton through the mountains, with Paolo Bettini (Quickstep) sitting at the back
- Paolo Bettini (Quickstep) can’t hold on anymore and gets dropped by the Illes Balears led peloton
- Illes Balears start to put the hammer down, as they approach the top of the second last climb of the day
- Alejandro Valverde having an excellent day, and very pleased with the work of his new team
- The peloton climbs the final mountain of the day leaving behind one of the largest lakes in Mallorca, at an altitude of over 700 metres
- Aitor Pérez Arrieta (Spiuk) tries to get away on the last climb, but he would eventually be absorbed by the peloton again
- Team Illes Balears is finally in front again, setting the stage for Alejandro Valverde, to make it a double after yesterday’s win
- Alejandro Valverde takes the stage and adds another victory for 2005
- Valverde was very happy with the way Illes Balears controlled the race today
- Alejandro Valverde (Illes Balears) takes the Trofeo de Sóller, and stamps his signature in this year’s edition of the Mallorca Challenge
- Valverde shares the love on the podium, after a hard earned day of victory, crossing four 2nd category climbs
- Port de Soller - another town that has witnessed a great day of racing.
Images by AFP Photo
- Erik Zabel (T-Mobile) checks his bike
- Alejandro Valverde (Illes Balears) wins the fourth stage of the Challenge Illes Balears
- Alejandro Valverde (Illes Balears) salutes from the podium
Results
1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Illes Balears 3.59.05 2 Ricardo Serrano (Spa) Kaiku 3 Aitor Pérez Arrieta (Spa) Spiuk 4 Adolfo García Quesada (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 5 Iker Camaño (Spa) Eukaltel-Euskadi 6 David Muñoz (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 7 José A. Gómez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 8 Toni Colom (Spa) Illes Balears 0.05 9 Rolf Aldag (Ger) Team T-Mobile 0.41 10 Yon Bru Pascal (Spa) Kaiku 0.56 11 Ángel Gómez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 12 Toni Tauler (Spa) Illes Balears 13 Luis Pasamontes (Spa) Relax Fuenlabrada 14 José Luis Martínez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 15 David López (Spa) Eukaltel-Euskadi 16 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Phonak 17 Joseba Agirrezabala (Spa) Andalucía-Paul Versan 18 Ezequiel Mosquera (Spa) Kaiku 19 Marc Lotz (Ned) Quick Step 1.35 20 Theo Eltink (Ned) Rabobank 21 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 22 Gustavo Domínguez (Spa) Orbea 23 David Cañada (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 24 Julen Zubero (Spa) Orbea 25 Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) Quick Step 26 Christian Werner (Ger) Team T-Mobile 27 Antonio Olmo (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 28 Xavier Tondo (Spa) Catalunya-Ángel Mir 29 David Fernández (Spa) Andalucía-Paul Versan 3.55 30 Rubén Oarbeaskoa (Spa) Kaiku 31 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team T-Mobile 4.19 32 Vicente Reynés (Spa) Illes Balears 33 José Antonio Pecharromán (Spa) Quick Step 5.30 34 Rodrigo García (Spa) Kaiku 35 Aarón Villegas (Spa) Orbea 36 Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step 5.35 37 Gustavo César Veloso (Spa) Kaiku 38 Gorka Arrizabalaga (Spa) Orbea 39 Luis Pérez (Spa) Relax Fuenlabrada 7.20 40 Íñigo Cuesta (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 7.36 41 Rubén Lobato (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 42 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Rabobank 7.37 43 Torsten Hiekmann (Ger) Team T-Mobile 8.21 44 Jorge Azanza (Spa) Kaiku 8.29 45 Iker Flores (Spa) Eukaltel-Euskadi 46 Juanma Gárate (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 9.01 47 Alexander Kolobnev (Rus) Rabobank 48 Alan Pérez (Spa) Orbea 49 Efrain Gutiérrez (Spa) Andalucía-Paul Versan 50 Javier Benítez (Spa) Relax Fuenlabrada 51 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Illes Balears 52 Thorwald Veneberg (Ned) Rabobank 53 Sergio Domínguez (Spa) Spiuk 13.07 54 Iban Mayoz (Spa) Relax Fuenlabrada 14.25 55 Aitor Osa (Spa) Illes Balears 56 Rik Verbrugghe (Bel) Quick Step 57 José Ruiz (Spa) Andalucía-Paul Versan 58 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step 59 Carlos Castaño (Spa) Andalucía-Paul Versan 60 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 61 David Herrero (Spa) Eukaltel-Euskadi 62 Aketza Peña (Spa) Eukaltel-Euskadi 63 Ivan Guttierrez (Spa) Illes Balears 64 Jaime Rovira (Spa) Andalucía-Paul Versan 65 Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) Rabobank 66 Andoni Aranaga (Spa) Kaiku 15.08 67 Nacor Burgos (Spa) Relax Fuenlabrada 68 Moisés Dueñas (Spa) Relax Fuenlabrada 69 Óscar Laguna (Spa) Relax Fuenlabrada 70 Sascha Urweider (Swi) Phonak 71 Juan Miguel Mercado (Spa) Quick Step 72 Javier Pascual Llorente (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 73 Ángel Vallejo (Spa) Relax Fuenlabrada 74 Javier Cherro (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 75 Rafael Macarrón (Spa) Spiuk 76 Joan Llaneras (Spa) Spanish national track team 77 Jesús J. Ramírez (Spa) Spiuk 78 Ignacio Gutiérrez (Spa) Phonak 79 Juan Antonio Pastor (Spa) Andalucía-Paul Versan 80 Unai Elorriaga (Spa) Spanish national track team 81 Niki Aebersold (Swi) Phonak 82 Miguel Alzamora (Spa) Spanish national track team 83 Beñat Albizuri (Spa) Orbea 84 Jesús Pérez (Spa) Spiuk 85 Cristian Moreni (Ita) Quick Step 86 Adrián Palomares (Spa) Kaiku 87 Xavier Florencio (Spa) Relax Fuenlabrada 88 Israel Núñez (Spa) Kaiku 89 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Orbea 90 Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank 91 Víctor Gómez (Spa) Andalucía-Paul Versan 92 Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Saunier Duval-Prodir 93 Raúl G. De Mateos (Spa) Relax Fuenlabrada 94 Ronald Mutsaars (Ned) Rabobank 95 Steffen Wesemann (Ger) Team T-Mobile 96 Nicolas Fritcsh (Fra) Saunier Duval-Prodir 97 Gorka González (Spa) Eukaltel-Euskadi 98 Alexandre Moos (Swi) Phonak 99 Mikel Artetxe (Spa) Eukaltel-Euskadi 100 Carlos Torrent (Spa) Catalunya-Ángel Mir 101 Mikel Gaztanaga (Spa) Catalunya-Ángel Mir 102 José Garrido (Spa) Quick Step 103 Jorge Berenguer (Spa) Catalunya-Ángel Mir 104 Alberto Rodríguez (Spa) Catalunya-Ángel Mir 105 Francisco Lara (Spa) Team T-Mobile 106 Ángel Casero (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 107 Anttón Luengo (Spa) Eukaltel-Euskadi 15.39 108 Gorka Amuriza (Spa) Orbea 109 Mads Christensen (Den) Quick Step 110 Xabat Otxotorena (Spa) Orbea 16.01 111 Jorge Sánchez (Spa) Spiuk 16.12 112 Pedro Romero (Spa) Spiuk 18.58 113 Jesús Del Nero (Spa) Orbea 19.47 114 Unai Osa (Spa) Illes Balears 21.40 115 Aitor Alonso (Spa) Spanish national track team 116 Fernando Torres (Spa) Spiuk Mountains Coll De Soller, Cat 2, 8,50 km 1 Anttón Luengo (Spa) Eukaltel-Euskadi 10 pts 2 Stephan Schreck (Ger) Team T-Mobile 7 3 Adrián Palomares (Spa) Kaiku 5 4 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Orbea 3 5 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 2 6 Ezequiel Mosquera (Spa) Kaiku 1 Coll De Sabatalla, Cat 2, 57,90 km 1 Stephan Schreck (Ger) Team T-Mobile 10 pts 2 Adrián Palomares (Spa) Kaiku 7 3 Anttón Luengo (Spa) Eukaltel-Euskadi 5 4 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Orbea 3 5 Ezequiel Mosquera (Spa) Kaiku 2 6 Ángel Gómez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 1 Coll De Sabatalla, Cat 2, 117,00 km 1 Íñigo Cuesta (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 10 pts 2 Ezequiel Mosquera (Spa) Kaiku 7 3 Yon Bru Pascal (Spa) Kaiku 5 4 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Illes Balears 3 5 Toni Colom (Spa) Illes Balears 2 6 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Illes Balears 1 Coll De Puig Major, Cat 2, 133,50 km 1 Toni Colom (Spa) Illes Balears 10 pts 2 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Illes Balears 7 3 Adolfo García Quesada (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 5 4 Aitor Pérez Arrieta (Spa) Spiuk 3 5 Ricardo Serrano (Spa) Kaiku 2 6 David Muñoz (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 1 Metas Volantes Binissalem, 34,70 km 1 Adrián Palomares (Spa) Kaiku 3 pts 2 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Orbea 2 3 Anttón Luengo (Spa) Eukaltel-Euskadi 1 Pollença, 78,30 km 1 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Orbea 3 pts 2 Adrián Palomares (Spa) Kaiku 2 3 Stephan Schreck (Ger) Team T-Mobile 1 Special sprints Lloseta, 40,30 km 1 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Orbea 3 pts 2 Anttón Luengo (Spa) Eukaltel-Euskadi 2 3 Stephan Schreck (Ger) Team T-Mobile 1 Inca, 101,30 km 1 Antonio Olmo (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 3 pts 2 Javier Cherro (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 2 3 Ivan Guttierrez (Spa) Illes Balears 1 General classification after stage 4 1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Illes Balears 13.34.04 2 David Muñoz (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 1.18 3 Ricardo Serrano (Spa) Kaiku 1.21 4 Aitor Pérez Arrieta (Spa) Spiuk 5 Adolfo García Quesada (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 1.38 6 Rolf Aldag (Ger) Team T-Mobile 2.00 7 Ezequiel Mosquera (Spa) Kaiku 2.17 8 Toni Tauler (Spa) Illes Balears 2.42 9 Ángel Gómez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 2.43 10 Luis Pasamontes (Spa) Relax Fuenlabrada 3.03 11 Christian Werner (Ger) Team T-Mobile 3.33 12 Marc Lotz (Ned) Quick Step 3.41 13 Antonio Olmo (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 4.29 14 José Luis Martínez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 4.50 15 Vicente Reynés (Spa) Illes Balears 6.17 16 Rodrigo García (Spa) Kaiku 7.28 17 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team T-Mobile 8.34 18 Toni Colom (Spa) Illes Balears 9.57 19 Carlos Castaño (Spa) Andalucía-Paul Versan 15.46 20 Rik Verbrugghe (Bel) Quick Step 16.12 21 Javier Cherro (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 16.55 22 Xavier Florencio (Spa) Relax Fuenlabrada 18.15 23 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 21.43 24 Jaime Rovira (Spa) Andalucía-Paul Versan 25 Juan Antonio Pastor (Spa) Andalucía-Paul Versan 34.46 Mountains classification 1 Ezequiel Mosquera (Spa) Kaiku 33 pts 2 Toni Tauler (Spa) Illes Balears 24 3 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Illes Balears 18 4 Adolfo García Quesada (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 13 5 Toni Colom (Spa) Illes Balears 12 6 Carlos Castaño (Spa) Andalucía-Paul Versan 6 7 Antonio Olmo (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 5 8 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team T-Mobile 5 9 David Muñoz (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 4 10 Aitor Pérez Arrieta (Spa) Spiuk 4 11 Rodrigo García (Spa) Kaiku 3 Metas Volantes classification 1 Antonio Olmo (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 4 pts 2 Toni Colom (Spa) Illes Balears 3 3 Rodrigo García (Spa) Kaiku 2 Sprints classification 1 Antonio Olmo (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 6 pts 2 Toni Tauler (Spa) Illes Balears 3 3 Javier Cherro (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 2 4 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Illes Balears 2 5 Rodrigo García (Spa) Kaiku 1 Teams classification 1 Illes Balears 40.46.57 2 Comunidad Valenciana 0.45 3 Kaiku 1.47 4 T-Mobile Team 6.27 5 Saunier Duval-Prodir 9.24 6 Rabobank 9.27 7 Relax-Fuenlabrada 27.18 8 Andalucia-Paul Versan 37.24
