BCR-Pizza Hut powers to team time trial victory

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Costa Rica's BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade team won today's opening stage of the Vuelta Ciclista Internacional a Costa Rica.

The "pizza boys" stopped the clock in 12:28 for the 10.6-kilometre team time trial in the city of La Unión.

Another Costa Rican team, Citibank-Economy Rent a Car-Blue, finished second at 4 seconds, while Colombia's Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia finished third at 10 seconds.

BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade's victory put its youngest rider in the first leader's jersey of the tour. Fabricio Quirós, a 19-year-old from the province of Cartago, earned the yellow jersey and also tops the Young Rider's classification.

According to Quirós, it wasn't planned for him to cross the finish line first. "That was reserved for some of the more experienced riders but I'm really happy this coincidence happened! This is the most important jersey I've worn.

"I'm sure the team’s main purpose won't be to defend this jersey so early but to take care of our potential winners.," said Quirós.

Tomorrow’s second stage will go from San José to Pital of San Carlos, close to the northern border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The 149.6-kilometre route contains two intermediate sprints (83.3km and 126.2km) and one classified climb (109.9km).