Herrada wins Spanish road race championship

The young gun of Movistar Team Jesús Herrada won today the Spanish road race championships, defeating Jon Izagirre (Euskaltel) by attacking him with one kilometer to go. Both Herrada and Izagirre were part of a group of six that broke away in the final part of the race, and managed to stay away although the peloton chased hard. Bronze medal was earned by Luis León Sánchez (Blanco), who was the fastest in the reduced bunch sprint.

The triumph of Herrada extends Movistar's winning streak at Spanish road race championships, with four victories in the last four editions of the event. That dominance was portrayed in the unfolding of today's race, held in a hilly route around Bembibre.

16 out of the 90 riders who took the start were part of the blue squad. That prominent majority and a proactive approach meant Movistar was the uncontested overlord, deciding which move was given a go and which one not.

"We had a strong majority in the decisive point of the race and we took advantage of it," Herrada said. "If they told me yesterday I would be winning today, I wouldn't believe them, but I can't believe it now either!.

"This gives me confidence for the future, because 2012 wasn't a good season for me - despite the win in Asturias, it turned out badly for me, and I didn't kick off this season well either - the April classics were hard for me and I couldn't bounce back until the Tour de Suisse. It's hard to know which kind of a rider am I, but I do well in one-week stageraces, especially those ones with a TT, and also in hard one-day races. We'll see how I evolve in the future."

The squad from Navarra chased an early breakaway of five after it had built a noticeable 2'30" gap, to later allow a move which featured its rider Imanol Erviti (Movistar), along with Mikel Astarloza (Euskaltel), Javier Aramendia (Caja Rural), Darío Hernández (Burgos BH) and Igor Merino (Euskadi). Fran Ventoso (Movistar) added himself later to the mix, jumping from the peloton to bridge to the group despite the five minutes advantage it had in a demonstration of strength.

With two Movistar riders on the front, Euskaltel had to assume the responsibility of taking down the breakaway, which after some attacks was reduced only to Erviti and Astarloza. At this point, thinking Erviti might lose to Astarloza one-on-one, Movistar chased hard and sent Jesús Herrada up the road; and chaos developed to unification.

With 20 kilometers and two climbs to go, the race started from scratch with a reduced bunch of 50 riders, with 7 Movistar and 8 Euskaltel. Despite having lost its majority, Movistar kept controlling. Two of its riders, Ángel Madrazo and Jesús Herrada, went away with Ion Izagirre (Euskaltel), David Arroyo (Caja Rural), Mikel Iturria (Euskadi) and Tino Zaballa (Christina Watches).

In the last climb, with five kilometers to go, Herrada and Izagirre went clear and managed to not be chased by a disorganized peloton. Under the banner of one kilometer to go, fearing Izagirre's power in the sprint, 22-year-old Herrada launched the attack which allowed him to win the title comfortably. Winning the sprint of the bunch had the bronze medal as prize, and it was Luis León Sánchez who achieved it, collecting his second badge of the week after the silver one he obtained in Friday's time trial.

"When Erviti and Astarloza went away, we decided to chase on full steam and play our cards in the finale by making things as hard as possible into the climbs," Herrada said. "I attacked with Madrazo in one of those, and at the final slope, with 3k to go, I moved again with Izagirre. We cooperated well until the last kilometer when I attacked - I knew it was hard to beat him into a sprint - and it went well."

The main race of the Spanish National Championships, as the whole event, was overshadowed by the tragedy of Rufino Murguía. Euskaltel's masseur had a traffic accident on Thursday, while driving the team's bus to Bembibre. He was hospitalized for three days and finally passed away tonight. Both Herrada and Izagirre dedicated their achievements to Murguía's memory, while the Basque rider admitted this have been "very, very tough days" in the Euskaltel camp.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jesús Herrada (Spa) Movistar Team5:27:16
2Jon Izagirre (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi0:00:02
3Luis León Sánchez (Spa) Blanco Pro Cycling Team0:00:05
4José Joaquín Rojas (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 3 - Cell 2
5Eduard Prades (Spa) OFM-Quinta Da LixaRow 4 - Cell 2
6Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 5 - Cell 2
7Carlos Barbero (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 6 - Cell 2
8Arkaitz Durán (Spa) Efapel GlassdriveRow 7 - Cell 2
9Rubén Pérez (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 8 - Cell 2
10Peio Bilbao (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 9 - Cell 2
11Francisco Javier Moreno (Spa) Caja Rural RgaRow 10 - Cell 2
12Luis Ángel Maté (Spa) CofidisRow 11 - Cell 2
13Aritz Bagues (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 12 - Cell 2
14Delio Fernández (Spa) OFM-Quinta Da LixaRow 13 - Cell 2
15Alejandro Marque (Spa) OFM-Quinta Da LixaRow 14 - Cell 2
16Egoitz García (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 15 - Cell 2
17Rubén Plaza (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 16 - Cell 2
18Amets Txurruka (Spa) Caja Rural RgaRow 17 - Cell 2
19Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Christina WatchesRow 18 - Cell 2
20Marcos García (Spa) Caja Rural RgaRow 19 - Cell 2
21Sergio Pardilla (Spa) MTN-QhubekaRow 20 - Cell 2
22Moisés Dueñas (Spa) Burgos BH-Castilla y LeonRow 21 - Cell 2
23Haritz Orbe (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 22 - Cell 2
24Víctor De La Parte (Spa) Sp TablewareRow 23 - Cell 2
25Gorka Izagirre (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 24 - Cell 2
26Iván Velasco (Spa) Caja Rural RgaRow 25 - Cell 2
27Carlos Verona (Spa) Omega Pharma Q. StepRow 26 - Cell 2
28Igor Antón (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 27 - Cell 2
29Ángel Madrazo (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 28 - Cell 2
30Mikel Nieve (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 29 - Cell 2
31Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 30 - Cell 2
32Francisco Mancebo (Spa) 5 Hour Energy p/b KendaRow 31 - Cell 2
33Juan José Oroz (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 32 - Cell 2
34Omar Fraile (Spa) Caja Rural RgaRow 33 - Cell 2
35Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 34 - Cell 2
36David Arroyo (Spa) Caja Rural RgaRow 35 - Cell 2
37Mikel Bizkarra (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 36 - Cell 2
38Antonio Piedra (Spa) Caja Rural RgaRow 37 - Cell 2
39Óscar Pujol (Spa) Polygon Sweet NiceRow 38 - Cell 2
40Mikel Iturria (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi0:00:13
41José Herrada (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 40 - Cell 2
42Salvador Guardiola (Spa) Differdange Losch0:01:00
43Sergio Carrasco (Spa) Tusnad Cycling TeamRow 42 - Cell 2
44Jesús Del Pino (Spa) Burgos BH-Castilla y LeonRow 43 - Cell 2
45Adrián López (Spa) Radio Popular OndaRow 44 - Cell 2
46Ramón Domené (Spa) Caja Rural RgaRow 45 - Cell 2
47David Belda (Spa) Burgos BH-Castilla y LeonRow 46 - Cell 2
48Jesús Ezquerra (Spa) Leopard Trek Cont.Row 47 - Cell 2
49Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin-Sharp0:02:57
50Javier Ramírez (Spa) Radio Popular Onda0:04:29
51Daniel Domínguez (Spa) Doltcini-FlandersRow 50 - Cell 2
52Jon Larrinaga (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 51 - Cell 2
53Pablo Lastras (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 52 - Cell 2
54Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Movistar Team0:07:10
55David De La Fuente (Spa) Torku Sekersport0:10:24
56Joaquín Sobrino (Spa) Sp TablewareRow 55 - Cell 2
57Fco.Javier Aramendia (Spa) Caja Rural RgaRow 56 - Cell 2
58Juan José Lobato (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 57 - Cell 2
59Pablo Torres (Spa) Burgos BH-Castilla y LeonRow 58 - Cell 2
60David Gutiérrez (Spa) Radio Popular OndaRow 59 - Cell 2
61José Vicente Toribio (Spa) Team UK Youth0:13:05
62Adrián Palomares (Spa) De Rijke ShanksRow 61 - Cell 2
63Efrén Carazo (Spa) Burgos BH-Castilla y LeonRow 62 - Cell 2
64Unai Iparragirre (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi0:16:48
65Pablo Urtasun (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 64 - Cell 2
66Román Osuna (Spa) Etcetera WorldRow 65 - Cell 2
67Adrián Sáez De Arregi (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 66 - Cell 2
68Igor Merino (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 67 - Cell 2
69Illart Zuazubiskar (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 68 - Cell 2
70Eloy Teruel (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 69 - Cell 2
71Darío Hernández (Spa) Burgos BH-Castilla y LeonRow 70 - Cell 2

 

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