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Spanish Championships - CN
Talavera de la Reina, Spain, June 28-29, 2008
Main Page Results Previous Day
Day 2 - June 29: Road race, 202.7km
Valverde to wear Spanish National Champion's jersey at Tour
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Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) was crowned the new Spanish National Champion in Talavera de la Reina after 202 km including three trips up the Alto de Piélago. The rider from Murcia was able to take advantage of the work of his team-mates in order to defeat Oscar Sevilla (Rock Racing) in the sprint. Valverde's team-mate Oscar Pereiro finished third.
"Today, as they have been doing since the beginning of the season, my Caisse d’Epargne team-mates did a perfect job, and I had nothing to do but finish what they started," said a happy Valverde after winning his first Spanish national title.
"The course of this championship was very difficult and that was a very good thing for me," said Valverde. "I thought I was able to go alone behind Sevilla who was in the lead and I indeed caught him. From that moment on I was very quiet because I knew my team-mates perfectly controlled the race behind. Logically I am faster than Sevilla but you never know what can happen in such a sprint with only two riders. But I won the race!
"And now the Tour!" he said, "that is another story, but I am very proud to present myself at the start [next weekend] with the jersey of Spanish champion on the shoulders."
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Isabelle Duchesne/www.photoscycling.com
- Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Caisse d'Epargne) shortly after receiving his new jersey.
- Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Caisse d'Epargne) signs on for the Spanish title race.
- Valverde looking relaxed before the start.
- José Joaquin Rojas Gil (Caisse d'Epargne) finished down in 21st.
- Valverde on the start.
- Valverde helps out a fan with an autograph for his collection.
- Alberto Rodriguez Oliver (Contentpolis - Murcia) chatting with Xavier Florencio Cabre (Bouygues Telecom).
- Xavier Florencio Cabre (Bouygues Telecom) pulls on his gloves while talking with a friend from Caisse d'Epargne.
- The podium girls were out meeting the riders before the start.
- The ribbon is cut to signal the start of the race.
- The race is officially underway.
- Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Caisse d'Epargne).
- Riders await the official start.
- And they are away... the race would eventually heat up.
- The Caisse d'Epargne team played a big role in setting up Valverde for the win.
- Only 2km to the refuelling station.
- With more than 10 riders in the field Caisse d'Epargne were going to be hard to beat.
- Saunier Duval - Scott were also very active.
- Oscar Sevilla (Rock Racing) came home to Spain to race the title to great effect.
- Sevilla leads over the top of the climb
- Sergio Andres De Lis (Orbea - Oreka S.D.A).
- The Caisse d'Epargne boys leading over the climb.
- Saunier Duval - Scott lead the peloton.
- Valverde looks relaxed.
- Oscar Sevilla and David Arroyo Duran (Caisse d'Epargne).
- Valverde beat Sevilla in the sprint for the win.
- Valverde thanked his team for their great work in setting up the win for him.
- Valverde will now head to the Tour with confidence.
- Thousands of fans came out to cheers Valverde to the win.
- Sevilla did all he could but was unable to match Valverde in the sprint.
- Oscar Pereiro Sio (Caisse d'Epargne) took the sprint for 3rd.
- The sprint for third was almost taken by Jaume Rovira Pous (Extremadura-Ciclismo Solidario).
- Barredo (Quick Step) will be handy in the mountains in the Tour.
- Oscar Pereiro congratulates team-mate Valverde with his win.
- Pereiro with his vase for third place.
- Sevilla didn't look too happy after being beaten for the win.
- Valverde dons his first professional Spanish champions jersey.
- Valverde with new jersey...
- ...and vase.
- The winner is always the grinner!
- Valverde with jersey and flowers.
- Valverde was happy on the podium celebrating his win.
- The podium (l-r): Oscar Sevilla, Alejandro Valverde and Oscar Pereiro.
- The top three share a joke on the podium.
- Sevilla and Valverde on the podium.
Results
1 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Caisse d'Epargne) 5.13.13 (38,829 km/h) 2 Oscar Sevilla (Rock Racing) 0.01 3 Oscar Pereiro Sio (Caisse d'Epargne) 1.04 4 Jaume Rovira Pous (Extremadura-Ciclismo Solidario) 5 Xavier Florencio Cabre (Bouygues Telecom) 6 Xabier Tondo (LA MSS) 7 Jose Ruiz Sanchez (Andalucía - Cajasur) 1.06 8 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Caisse d'Epargne) 9 Manuel Vazquez Hueso (Contentpolis - Murcia) 10 Unai Uribarri (Orbea-Oreka) 11 Serafin Martinez (Karpin Galicia) 12 Jose Carrasco (Andalucia-Cajasur) 13 Constantino Zaballa (LA MSS) 14 Sergio Pardilla Bellon (Burgos Monumental) 15 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Saunier Duval - Scott) 16 Eladio Jimenez (Rota dos Mov) 17 José Herrada Lopez (Contentpolis - Murcia) 18 Ruben Plaza (Benfica) 19 Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Quick Step) 1.11 20 José Joaquin Rojas Gil (Caisse d'Epargne) 1.54 21 Juan Manuel Garate (Quick Step) 22 Francisco Jose Martinez Perez (Andalucía - Cajasur) 23 Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Euskaltel - Euskadi) 24 Manuel Ortega Ocana (Andalucía - Cajasur) 25 Javier Moreno Bazan (Andalucía - Cajasur) 26 Moises Dueñas Nevado (Barloworld) 27 Pablo Lastras Garcia (Caisse d'Epargne) 28 Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Caisse d'Epargne) 1.58 29 Adrian Palomares Villaplana (Contentpolis - Murcia) 30 Francisco Mancebo (Rota dos Mov) 31 David Arroyo Duran (Caisse d'Epargne) 3.05 32 José Vicente Garcia Acosta (Caisse d'Epargne) 33 Pedro Gutierrez Alvarez (Burgos Monumental) 34 Alberto Rodriguez Oliver (Contentpolis - Murcia) 35 Josu Mondelo (Extremadura-Ciclismo Solidario) 36 Jesus Ramirez Torres (Extremadura-Ciclismo Solidario) 37 Manuel Calvente (Contentpolis - Murcia) 38 Martin Mata Cabello (Burgos Monumental) 39 Gustavo Dominguez Lemos (Karpin Galicia) 40 José Garrido (LA MSS) 41 Julian Sanchez Pimienta (Contentpolis - Murcia) 42 Aitor Perez Arrieta (Extremadura-Ciclismo Solidario) 43 Enrique Salgueiro (Extremadura-Ciclismo Solidario) 44 Delio Fernández Cruz (Karpin Galicia) 45 Claudio José Casas Gallego (Andalucía - Cajasur) 12.45 46 Jesus Buendia Romero (Contentpolis - Murcia) 47 Sergio Herrero Dominguez (Extremadura-Ciclismo Solidario) 19.52 48 Jorge Lopez (Arenas - Tlax - Mex) 20.08 49 Jose Carrasco (Andalucia-Cajasur) 50 Alejandro Paleo (Karpin Galicia) 51 Luis Fernandez (Barbot-Siper) 52 Jose Antonio Redondo (Andalucía - Cajasur) 53 Javier Armendia (Euskaltel - Euskadi) 54 Juan Olmo Menacho (Andalucía - Cajasur) 55 Jesus Rosendo Prado (Andalucía - Cajasur) 56 Gonzalo Zambrano (Extremadura-Ciclismo Solidario) 57 Alexis Rodriguez (Rota dos Mov) 58 Francisco Terciado Sacedo (Extremadura-Ciclismo Solidario) 59 Jesús Del Nero (Saunier Duval - Scott) 60 Juan Javier Estrada Ruiz (Andalucía - Cajasur) 61 Ruben Reig Conejero (Contentpolis - Murcia) 62 Ruben Lobato Elvira (Saunier Duval - Scott) 63 Amets Txurruka (Euskaltel - Euskadi) 64 Sergio Domingez (Contentpolis-Murcia) 65 Cecilio Gutierrez Pastor (Andalucía - Cajasur) 66 Javier Etxarri Marin (Contentpolis - Murcia) 67 David De La Fuente Rasilla (Saunier Duval - Scott) 68 Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Andalucía - Cajasur) 69 Sergio Andres De Lis (Orbea - Oreka S.D.A) 70 Fco. Pacheco (Barbot-Siper) 71 Josu Agirre Aseginolaza (Euskaltel - Euskadi) 72 Rodrigo Garcia Rena (Extremadura-Ciclismo Solidario) 73 Eduardo Gonzalo Ramirez (Agritubel) 74 Diego Gallego Arnaiz (Burgos Monumental) 75 David Lopez Garcia (Caisse d'Epargne) 76 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Caisse d'Epargne) 77 Oscar Pujol (Burgos Monumental)
