Rodriguez victorious in Zumarraga
Spaniard assumes leader's jersey
Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) outsprinted his three breakaway companions to win the Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco's first stage in Zumarraga. The 31-year-old Spaniard led through the final corner with 100m to go and held off the late charge from Olympic road champion Sammy Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi). Andreas Klöden (RadioShack) finished third while teammate Chris Horner, the defending Pais Vasco champion, crossed the line in fourth one second later.
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Cervelo) took the sprint for fifth place, six seconds behind Rodriguez, from a six-rider chase group.
With the victory, Rodriguez earned the first leader's jersey of the six-day stage race in Spain's Basque region. Sanchez and Klöden hold second and third respectively with the same time as Rodriguez with Horner fourth overall, one second behind.
"I was so happy with this victory, so much that, when I reached the finishing line, I almost cried for joy," said Rodriguez. "In the first part of my season I had some health troubles but now I hope I left behind all these troubles and I will be able to work and train in the best way for my next goals.
"I admit I was very nervous because until now in 2011 I've never been able to be among the best riders in any race I took part in. But I have to thank all the team, from Tchmil downwards, for always having told me to stay calm because our principal goal this year will be the Giro d'Italia.
"However, I needed an indication for myself and that's the reason why I told my teammates that, if we all were inside the group on the Alto de la Antigua, I would try to attack. Well, I have to say that everything was perfect and now I feel calmer and more confident for the rest of the season".
The stage was dominated by a three-man break which formed 15km into the 151.2km stage. Ivan Rovny (RadioShack), Bram Tankink (Rabobank) and Mathieu Perget (AG2R La Mondiale) pushed out a lead in excess of six minutes but the trio's escape was neutralised on the penultimate Alto de Gabiria climb with approximately 14km remaining.
For their lengthy escape Tankink earned the sprint classification jersey while Perget leads the mountains classification.
The winning break formed on the day's final climb, the 2.5km Alto de la Antigua, a savage kick-in-the-tail whose summit is positioned just 3km from the finish line and features a steepest gradient of 20 percent. Horner jumped away from the peloton early on the climb and was joined near the summit by Rodriguez. The Katusha rider was first over the top, closely followed by Horner and Sanchez. In their wake was a shattered peloton in which some riders were forced to dismount and push their bikes on the steepest pitch near the summit.
Klöden, the 2000 Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco champion, was only seconds in arrears over the top of the Alto de la Antigua and the 35-year-old German bridged to the leading trio on the descent to the finish.
Sanchez went to the front approaching the last corner in the technical finale, but Rodriguez got through the corner first and took a narrow, photo-finish victory.
The peloton faces another hilly day on stage two, 163km from Zumarraga to Lekunberri, in which the riders face seven categorised climbs, including the category one Alto de Azpiroza only 3km from the finish.
1 | Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team | 4:02:42 |
2 | Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
3 | Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team RadioShack | |
4 | Christopher Horner (USA) Team RadioShack | 0:00:01 |
5 | Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Cervelo | 0:00:06 |
6 | Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD | |
7 | David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Movistar Team | |
8 | Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | |
9 | Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Katusha Team | |
10 | Xavier Tondo Volpini (Spa) Movistar Team | |
11 | Beñat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:00:09 |
12 | Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Katusha Team | 0:00:18 |
13 | Wout Poels (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
14 | Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | |
15 | Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling | |
16 | Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team | |
17 | Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre - ISD | |
18 | Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | |
19 | Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek | |
20 | Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek | |
21 | Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
22 | Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Movistar Team | |
23 | Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
24 | Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISD | |
25 | Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:00:36 |
26 | Javier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Caja Rural | |
27 | Maxime Monfort (Bel) Leopard Trek | |
28 | Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Team Garmin-Cervelo | |
29 | Mauricio Ardila Cano (Col) Geox-TMC | |
30 | Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
31 | Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Sky Procycling | 0:00:42 |
32 | Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Blr) HTC-Highroad | 0:00:43 |
33 | Tejay Van Garderen (USA) HTC-Highroad | |
34 | Matthew Busche (USA) Team RadioShack | 0:00:54 |
35 | Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Katusha Team | |
36 | Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Pro Team Astana | |
37 | José Herrada Lopez (Spa) Caja Rural | |
38 | Daniel Martin (Irl) Team Garmin-Cervelo | |
39 | Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
40 | Richie Porte (Aus) Saxo Bank Sungard | |
41 | Marco Pinotti (Ita) HTC-Highroad | |
42 | Ivan Santaromita (Ita) BMC Racing Team | |
43 | Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard | |
44 | Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:01:07 |
45 | Iván Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
46 | Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
47 | Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team | 0:01:14 |
48 | Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Katusha Team | 0:01:16 |
49 | Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Caja Rural | 0:01:26 |
50 | David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Movistar Team | |
51 | Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha Team | 0:01:35 |
52 | Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Sky Procycling | |
53 | Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:01:38 |
54 | Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
55 | Ivan Rovny (Rus) Team RadioShack | |
56 | Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | |
57 | Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Leopard Trek | |
58 | Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
59 | Francesco Reda (Ita) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
60 | Fabio Andres Duarte Arevalo (Col) Geox-TMC | 0:01:41 |
61 | Fabio Felline (Ita) Geox-TMC | 0:01:43 |
62 | Dimitri Champion (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
63 | Thomas Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo | |
64 | Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:02:04 |
65 | Christian Knees (Ger) Sky Procycling | 0:02:08 |
66 | Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Team RadioShack | |
67 | Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Pro Team Astana | |
68 | Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Movistar Team | 0:02:15 |
69 | Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:02:33 |
70 | Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | 0:02:56 |
71 | Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky Procycling | 0:03:14 |
72 | Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale | 0:03:15 |
73 | Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | 0:03:43 |
74 | Pablo Urtasun Perez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
75 | Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Team RadioShack | 0:04:06 |
76 | Jens Voigt (Ger) Leopard Trek | |
77 | Stefan Denifl (Aut) Leopard Trek | |
78 | Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
79 | Aitor Perez Arrieta (Spa) Lampre - ISD | 0:04:22 |
80 | Mathieu Perget (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
81 | Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Sky Procycling | 0:04:29 |
82 | Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:04:45 |
83 | Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | |
84 | Nicki Sörensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard | 0:06:05 |
85 | Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo | 0:08:14 |
86 | Michael Rogers (Aus) Sky Procycling | 0:09:19 |
87 | Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team | |
88 | Dario Cataldo (Ita) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
89 | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:09:49 |
90 | Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
91 | Garikoitz Bravo Oiarbide (Spa) Caja Rural | |
92 | Denys Kostyuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISD | |
93 | Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Katusha Team | |
94 | Josep Jufre Pou (Spa) Pro Team Astana | |
95 | Gert Dockx (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
96 | Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
97 | Martin Kohler (Swi) BMC Racing Team | |
98 | Rafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Geox-TMC | |
99 | Laurent Didier (Lux) Saxo Bank Sungard | |
100 | Mauro Finetto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | |
101 | Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Pro Team Astana | |
102 | Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | |
103 | Thomas Peterson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo | |
104 | Andrew Talansky (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo | |
105 | Stephen Cummings (GBr) Sky Procycling | |
106 | Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | |
107 | Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) Caja Rural | 0:09:55 |
108 | Michal Golas (Pol) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
109 | Tony Martin (Ger) HTC-Highroad | |
110 | Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre - ISD | |
111 | Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team | |
112 | Óscar Pujol Muñoz (Spa) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 0:11:03 |
113 | Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:15:07 |
114 | Daniele Ratto (Ita) Geox-TMC | |
115 | Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team | |
116 | Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team | |
117 | Manuele Boaro (Ita) Saxo Bank Sungard | |
118 | Simone Ponzi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | |
119 | José Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Movistar Team | |
120 | Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
121 | Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Leopard Trek | |
122 | David Lelay (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
123 | Inaki Isasi Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
124 | Jason McCartney (USA) Team RadioShack | |
125 | Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | |
126 | Mads Christensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard | |
127 | Brian Vandborg (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard | |
128 | Anders Lund (Den) Leopard Trek | |
129 | Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team RadioShack | |
130 | Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Geox-TMC | |
131 | David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Geox-TMC | |
132 | Sergey Renev (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | |
133 | Juan José Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
134 | Johann Tschopp (Swi) BMC Racing Team | |
135 | Dominik Nerz (Ger) Liquigas-Cannondale | |
136 | Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Lampre - ISD | |
137 | Alfredo Balloni (Ita) Lampre - ISD | |
138 | Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) Team Garmin-Cervelo | |
139 | Michael Albasini (Swi) HTC-Highroad | |
140 | Danny Pate (USA) HTC-Highroad | |
141 | Caleb Fairly (USA) HTC-Highroad | |
142 | Craig Lewis (USA) HTC-Highroad | |
143 | Noè Gianetti (Swi) Geox-TMC | 0:15:24 |
144 | André Steensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard | 0:15:26 |
145 | Aitor Galdos (Spa) Caja Rural | 0:15:36 |
146 | Chris Butler (USA) BMC Racing Team | |
147 | Thimothy Roe (Aus) BMC Racing Team | 0:15:45 |
148 | Maxim Belkov (Rus) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:15:54 |
149 | Santo Anza (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
150 | Julian Sanchez Pimienta (Spa) Caja Rural | |
151 | Higinio Fernández (Spa) Caja Rural | |
152 | John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
153 | Addy Engels (Ned) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
154 | Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
155 | Julien Vermote (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:18:16 |
156 | Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team | 0:19:50 |
157 | Marco Bandiera (Ita) Quickstep Cycling Team |
1 | Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team | 25 | pts |
2 | Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | 20 | |
3 | Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team RadioShack | 16 | |
4 | Christopher Horner (USA) Team RadioShack | 14 | |
5 | Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Cervelo | 12 | |
6 | Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD | 10 | |
7 | David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Movistar Team | 9 | |
8 | Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 8 | |
9 | Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Katusha Team | 7 | |
10 | Xavier Tondo Volpini (Spa) Movistar Team | 6 | |
11 | Beñat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team | 5 | |
12 | Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Katusha Team | 4 | |
13 | Wout Poels (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 3 | |
14 | Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | 2 | |
15 | Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling | 1 |
1 | Ivan Rovny (Rus) Team RadioShack | 3 | pts |
2 | Mathieu Perget (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 2 | |
3 | Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 1 |
1 | Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 3 | pts |
2 | Ivan Rovny (Rus) Team RadioShack | 2 | |
3 | Mathieu Perget (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 1 |
1 | Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 3 | pts |
2 | Mathieu Perget (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 2 | |
3 | Ivan Rovny (Rus) Team RadioShack | 1 |
1 | Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team | 3 | pts |
2 | Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | 2 | |
3 | Mauricio Ardila Cano (Col) Geox-TMC | 1 |
1 | Mathieu Perget (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 6 | pts |
2 | Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 4 | |
3 | Ivan Rovny (Rus) Team RadioShack | 2 | |
4 | Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team | 1 |
1 | Mathieu Perget (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 3 | pts |
2 | Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 2 | |
3 | Ivan Rovny (Rus) Team RadioShack | 1 |
1 | Mathieu Perget (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 3 | pts |
2 | Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 2 | |
3 | Ivan Rovny (Rus) Team RadioShack | 1 |
1 | Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team | 3 | pts |
2 | Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Leopard Trek | 2 | |
3 | Jens Voigt (Ger) Leopard Trek | 1 |
1 | Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team | 6 | pts |
2 | Christopher Horner (USA) Team RadioShack | 4 | |
3 | Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | 2 | |
4 | Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team RadioShack | 1 |
1 | Movistar Team | 12:08:27 |
2 | Katusha Team | 0:00:03 |
3 | Lampre - ISD | 0:00:21 |
4 | Team RadioShack | 0:00:34 |
5 | Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:00:39 |
6 | Leopard Trek | 0:00:51 |
7 | Team Garmin-Cervelo | 0:01:15 |
8 | Euskaltel-Euskadi | 0:01:22 |