Gonzalez prevails at Alto de Palmas

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Indeportes Antioquia’s Sergio Luis Henao took another step closer to overall victory in the 2010 Vuelta a Colombia after finishing third in Saturday’s grueling Stage 13, eight seconds behind stage winner Javier González (EPM-UNE) and three seconds behind Darwin Atapuma (Colombia es Pasions).

Henao fended off attack-after-attack from his rival Jose Rujano (Loteria de Boyacá) on the day’s final climb, the category one Alto de Las Palmas, and goes into Sunday’s final stage time trial three minutes and 21 seconds ahead of the third place Rujano. His teammate, Óscar Sevilla, sits in second, three minutes and 12 seconds behind the lead.

“I think tomorrow that I have a really good chance at winning my first Vuelta a Colombia,” Henao said. “I’m going to do it for my friends, family and all the people of Antioquia.”

Saturday’s 206 km stage from Manizales to the top of the Alto de Las Palmas on the outskirts of Medellín was pegged as one of the races toughest stages and where the race’s general classification would be set in stone.

The stage kicked off with a long descent out of Manizales’ Plaza de Toros and down the previous stage’s final climb. On the downhill an eight-man break of seasoned pros and top sprinters took off before the race reached the flat roads along the Cauca River.

In the group were veterans Victor Hugo Peña of Colombia es Pasión, Marlon Pérez of GW Shimano and three-time Vuelta a Colombia champion Libardo Niño of EBSA as well as sprint points leader Juan Alejandro Garcia of GW Shimano and Super Giros’ Carlos Alzate.

For much of the stage the Indeportes Antioquia-controlled peloton seemed little concerned with the break as all of Henao’s GC threats were safely tucked back in the main field preparing themselves for the climbing ahead.

The peloton’s indifference let Garcia and Alzate duel it for the Vuelta’s last sprint points and for the break to gain about 14 minutes on the main field at it approached the category two Alto Quiebra.

The Alto Quiebra was more of a stepping-stone to the famed Alto de Minas climb that followed it, but it still challenged the break of sprint specialists. By the time the break hit the top and was on to Alto de Minas, it had already splintered with Formesan-Panachi’s Alexander Rojas crossing ahead of Niño and the rest suffering behind.

On the Alto de Minas Niño displayed signs of his old form by passing Rojas, who later was joined by Peña and EPM-UNE’s Jaime Castaneda, and crossing through the cloud draped climb alone, three minutes and 40 seconds ahead of Rojas’ group and six minutes and 54 seconds in front of the group containing Henao, Rujano and other race favorites.

The former champ was able to keep his time gap down the descent and on the flat section through Medellín, but he seemed to have worn himself out over Minas and was caught by the race favorites with 9 km to go up the Alto de Las Palmas.

With the Vuelta nearing its end and the sprawling expanse of the Medellín valley providing a gorgeous background to the stage’s climax, the big guns in the field did not disappoint.

The tiny Venezuelan Rujano attacked time and time again in a furious attempt to shake Henao and gain some much needed time in the GC, but it was to no avail as Henao and Sevilla marked his every move and controlled the climb.

“Rujano has been very strong but I think I showed today that I can challenge all of his attacks,” Henao said.

With about 6kilometres to go Javier González made his move and was able to free himself from the select group. With Rujano looking broken after his constant efforts to escape, Henao and the Vuelta’s U-23 leader Atapuma jumped and were able to tag along with González as they rolled in across the line.

“On the last climb Rujano attacked and attacked and all I tried to do was win the stage,” González said. “I’m very happy to win the stage and I’ve got to thank my team and sponsors for the support.”

Barring any major incidents Henao seems to have wrapped up first place in the Vuelta a Colombia and tomorrow’s 34 km time trial through Medellín should be a victory lap for the young rider who grew up about 45 minutes outside the city.

The real drama tomorrow will be for the other two podium spots, as only 37 seconds separates second place from fifth place. Sevilla, a pre-race favorite, will definitely want to hold on to his shaky second place as Rujano breathes down his neck.

Also the young Atapuma is looking strong in fifth place and could make some waves on Medellín’s streets and one should not overlook Francisco Calderón of EPM-UNE in fourth place, who impressed many by leading Henao and Rujano over the La Linea climb only a few days ago.