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Pelucchi takes Clasica de Almeria victory

Italian neo-pro earns first win for Geox-TMC

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Matteo Pelucchi (Geox-TMC) was the surprise winner of the Clasica de Almeria.

Matteo Pelucchi (Geox-TMC) was the surprise winner of the Clasica de Almeria. (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Victor Cabedo (Orbea Continental) leads Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil - DCM) and Francisco Ventoso (Movistar) in a late-race break.

Victor Cabedo (Orbea Continental) leads Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil - DCM) and Francisco Ventoso (Movistar) in a late-race break. (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Thumbs up from Clasica de Almeria winner Matteo Pelucchi (Geox-TMC).

Thumbs up from Clasica de Almeria winner Matteo Pelucchi (Geox-TMC). (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling riders on the start line.

UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling riders on the start line. (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and Francisco Ventoso (Movistar) chat on the start line.

Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and Francisco Ventoso (Movistar) chat on the start line. (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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The Clasica de Almeria peloton negotiates a bridge.

The Clasica de Almeria peloton negotiates a bridge. (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Michael Matthews (Rabobank) and Jens Voigt (Leopard Trek) at the front of the early break.

Michael Matthews (Rabobank) and Jens Voigt (Leopard Trek) at the front of the early break. (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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A Saur-Sojasun rider on the attack.

A Saur-Sojasun rider on the attack. (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Arkaitz Duran (Geox-TMC)

Arkaitz Duran (Geox-TMC) (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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A Rabobank rider sets tempo in the peloton.

A Rabobank rider sets tempo in the peloton. (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and Jens Voigt (Leopard Trek)

Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and Jens Voigt (Leopard Trek) (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Francisco Ventoso (Movistar)

Francisco Ventoso (Movistar) (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Clasica de Almeria Matteo Pelucchi (Geox-TMX) on the podium.

Clasica de Almeria Matteo Pelucchi (Geox-TMX) on the podium. (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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The Andalucia Caja Granada team pre-race meeting.

The Andalucia Caja Granada team pre-race meeting. (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Frank Schleck and his Leopard Trek teammates sign in.

Frank Schleck and his Leopard Trek teammates sign in. (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Luxembourg champion Frank Schleck awaits the start.

Luxembourg champion Frank Schleck awaits the start. (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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A bit of pre-race stretching from Peter Stetina (Garmin - Cervelo).

A bit of pre-race stretching from Peter Stetina (Garmin - Cervelo). (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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An Orbea Continental rider drives the peloton.

An Orbea Continental rider drives the peloton. (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Oscar Pujol (Omega Pharma-Lotto) at the head of the early break.

Oscar Pujol (Omega Pharma-Lotto) at the head of the early break. (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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The Clasica de Almeria peloton in action.

The Clasica de Almeria peloton in action. (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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The Andalucia Caja Granada team leads the peloton.

The Andalucia Caja Granada team leads the peloton. (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil - DCM) fuels up.

Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil - DCM) fuels up. (Image credit: Bosco Martin)

Neo-pro Matteo Pelucchi (Geox-TMC) was the surprise winner of the Clasica de Almeria on Sunday. The 22-year-old Italian bested Jose Joaquin Rojas (Movistar) and Pim Ligthart (Vacansoleil-DCM) in the field sprint finale to earn the first victory of his career, as well as the first win for his Spanish Pro Continental squad.

Early in the 179.5km Spanish one-day race a strong breakaway went clear including such riders as Jens Voigt (Leopard Trek), Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Cervelo), Jose Joaquin Rojas (Movistar), Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Michael Matthews (Rabobank) and Ruslan Pydgornyy (Vacansoleil-DCM).

This move was eventually neutralised and a trio containing Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil-DCM), Francisco Ventoso (Movistar) and Victor Cabedo (Orbea Continental) made their bid for victory. The trio worked well together late into the race, but the peloton brought them back inside of five kilometres to go.

The peloton stayed together through to the finish where Pelucchi notched the first win of his professional career.

Full Results
1Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Geox-TMC4:22:56
2Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team
3Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
4Christophe Laborie (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
5Bartlomiej Matysiak (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
6Aitor Galdos Alonso (Spa) Caja Rural
7Diego Milan Jimenez (Spa) Caja Rural
8Robert Förster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
9Michal Golas (Pol) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
10Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Andalucia Caja Granada
11Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team
12Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Cervelo
13Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
14Jan Bakelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
15Adrian Saez (Spa) Orbea Continental
16Michel Kreder (Ned) Team Garmin-Cervelo
17Marko Kump (Slo) Geox-TMC
18Christian Meier (Can) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
19Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
20Marek Rutkiewicz (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
21Benat Urain Epelde (Spa) Orbea Continental
22David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Geox-TMC
23Jon Aberasturi Izaga (Spa) Orbea Continental
24Blazej Janiaczyk (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
25David Gutierrez Gutierrez (Spa) Geox-TMC
26Pablo Lechuga Rodriguez (Spa) Andalucia Caja Granada
27Gert Dockx (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
28Alan Perez Lezaun (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
29Peio Bilbao (Spa) Orbea Continental
30Ricardo Garcia Ambroa (Spa) Orbea Continental
31Michael Matthews (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team
32José Joao Pimenta Costa Mendes (Por) CCC Polsat Polkowice
33Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
34Jean-Lou Paiani (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
35Francis De Greef (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
36Jens Voigt (Ger) Leopard Trek
37Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
38Lukasz Bodnar (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
39Stefan Denifl (Aut) Leopard Trek
40Oleg Chuzhda (Ukr) Caja Rural
41Manuel Ortega Ocana (Spa) Andalucia Caja Granada
42Carlos Oyarzun (Chi) Movistar Team
43Mario Aerts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
44Thomas Peterson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
45Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
46Ruben Martinez (Spa) Caja Rural
47Adrian Honkisz (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
48Jose Luis Cano (Spa) Andalucia Caja Granada
49Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar Team
50Eloy Ruiz Pinto (Spa) Andalucia Caja Granada
51Christian Vandevelde (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
52Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
53Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
54Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
55Anders Lund (Den) Leopard Trek
56Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Geox-TMC
57Frank Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek
58Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
59Daniel Martin (Irl) Team Garmin-Cervelo
60Wouter Poels (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
61Martijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
62Joaquin Sobrino (Spa) Caja Rural
63Xabier Zabalo Imaz (Spa) Orbea Continental
64Paul Poux (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
65Ruslan Pydgornyy (Ukr) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
66Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Saur - Sojasun0:00:12
67Alberto Ongarato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team0:00:18
68Oscar Pujol Munoz (Spa) Omega Pharma-Lotto0:00:24
69Rory Sutherland (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling0:00:25
70Sébastien Joly (Fra) Saur - Sojasun0:00:29
71Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Movistar Team0:00:31
72Matteo Carrara (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team0:00:39
73Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
74Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
75Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
76Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
77Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur - Sojasun0:00:48
78Victor Cabedo (Spa) Orbea Continental0:00:54
79Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Movistar Team0:01:07
80Aritz Etxebarria (Spa) Orbea Continental0:01:18
81Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team0:01:54
82Cyril Bessy (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
83Peter Stetina (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
84Julian Sanchez Pimienta (Spa) Caja Rural
85Jose Vicente Toribio Alcolea (Spa) Andalucia Caja Granada0:02:51
86Jose Luis Roldan Carmona (Spa) Andalucia Caja Granada
87Juan Javier Estrada Ruiz (Spa) Andalucia Caja Granada
88Arkaitz Duran Aroca (Spa) Geox-TMC
89Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Spa) Movistar Team
90Javier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Caja Rural
91Xavier Tondo Volpini (Spa) Movistar Team
92Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling

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