Simon opens Tour do Rio with stage win

Edgurdo Simon (Padaria Real / Caloi / CEU Azul / Alimentos) won the opening stage of the 2011 Tour do Rio, a 149 kilometre stage down the coastline from Rio de Janeiro to Angra dos Reis. The Argentinean triumphed in a bunch sprint in a time of 3:12:25, ahead of Rafael Andriato (Petroli Firenze), Marco Coldan (Trevigiani) and Jaime Castaneda (EPM – UNE). In a difficult run to the finish, the fast men of the peloton were forced to cool their jets one hundred metres from the finish line due to a speed bump.

Simon made the trip from his home to Sao Paulo in the north of Brazil earlier this month to get the best preparation possible for the Tour do Rio.

"The roads weren't very good because they were unpredictable – it was complicated," he admitted. "But the view of the sea and the coast made up for it.

Declaring his intentions for the rest of the week, Simon explained it was important to begin the race on the right note. "It was very important for me to win today because I'm fighting for overall."

Andriato meantime was rueing the role the speed bump played in his run to the finish, saying that it had cost him the win, with his cleats coming away from his pedals. The Brazilian intends to make amends on Thursday.

"The next stage will be even better for me because of the mix between mountains and the flat," he told reporters at the finish. "The third and the fourth stage will decide overall. I'm working for the team here and I owe them for helping me today."

On a draining day in the Brazilian winter heat, where temperatures pushed the 30 degree mark and the peloton was forced to battle roads that varied in their condition, 18 riders failed to make the time cut, set at a "generous" 15 percent by race organisers.

Several riders mentioned following the finish that the flat parcours promised in the race manual had not eventuated, especially in the final half of the stage, one commenting to Cyclingnews that "there's no way that's flat."

A group of 11 riders formed a breakaway around 40 kilometres from the finish on the base of the one and only mountain prime of the day – with the earlier ascent forcing an already split peloton to fray even more. Romanian rider Andrei Nechita (Trevigiani) claimed the maximum KOM points of offer, with Brazilian pair Renato Seabra (Funvic/Marcondes Cesar/Pindamonhangaba) and Antonio Nascimento (Clube DataRo de Ciclismo/Foz do Iguaçu) next best – all three riders finished the day in the lead group across the finish line.

The following bunch of 25 riders came in two minutes after Simon had thrown his hands in the air in celebration, including three members of the highly-fancied American squad, Jamis-Sutter Home, with Anibal Borrajo, Tyler Wren and James Driscoll all arriving safely.

The same couldn't be said for teammate Nicolas Frey who crashed in the morning's neutral zone following a collision with a cat's eye on the edge of the road, forcing him to abandon the race. Six other riders were forced to drop out of the often punishing stage.

Breaks had threatened for much of the race, with groups of between two and five riders getting away but never more than around 50 seconds due to constant skirmishes at the front of the chase group. Wren said it was only a matter of time before an escape group stuck.

"I think everyone in the whole race knew it was going to be a break today, there was no prologue and no time-trial," he told Cyclingnews at the finish. "So it was just kinda like the roulette nature of these breaks – you can't cover all of them; we were already short-handed because we lost a guy and we were saving a sprinter, whereas some teams finished with seven or eight guys. But there's plenty of fight left."

EPM – UNE dominated the day, with all riders finishing in the top 30. Time bonuses will see Simon take a seven second lead into Thursday's second stage.

Full Results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Edgardo Simon (Arg)3:12:25
2Rafael Andriato (Bra)Row 1 - Cell 2
3Marco Coledan (Ita)Row 2 - Cell 2
4Jaime Alberto Castaneda Ortega (Col) EPM - UNERow 3 - Cell 2
5Andrei Nechita (Rom)Row 4 - Cell 2
6Antonio Xavier Nascimento (Bra) Funvic - PindamonhangabaRow 5 - Cell 2
7Juan Pablo Suarez Suarez (Col) EPM - UNERow 6 - Cell 2
8Robigzon Leandro Oyola Oyola (Col) EPM - UNERow 7 - Cell 2
9Renato Seabra (Bra) Clube Dataro De Ciclismo - Foz Do IguacuRow 8 - Cell 2
10Eduard Alexander Beltran Suarez (Col) EPM - UNERow 9 - Cell 2
11Javier Eduardo Gomez Pineda (Col) EPM - UNE0:00:11
12Filippo Fortin (Ita)0:02:03
13Edoardo Costanzi (Ita)Row 12 - Cell 2
14Ibon Zugasti Arrese (Spa)Row 13 - Cell 2
15Raphael Serpa (Bra)Row 14 - Cell 2
16Simone Fruini (Ita)Row 15 - Cell 2
17Roberto Pinheiro Silva (Bra) Funvic - PindamonhangabaRow 16 - Cell 2
18Marco Prodigioso (Ita)Row 17 - Cell 2
19Anibal Andres Borrajo (Arg) Jamis - Sutter HomeRow 18 - Cell 2
20Tyler Wren (USA) Jamis - Sutter HomeRow 19 - Cell 2
21Thiago Nardin (Bra)Row 20 - Cell 2
22Flavio Reblin (Bra)Row 21 - Cell 2
23Josep Betalu (Spa)Row 22 - Cell 2
24James Driscoll (USA) Jamis - Sutter HomeRow 23 - Cell 2
25Wagner Pereira Alves (Bra)Row 24 - Cell 2
26Alcides Flaviano Vieira (Bra) Clube Dataro De Ciclismo - Foz Do IguacuRow 25 - Cell 2
27Douglas Moi Bueno (Bra) Funvic - PindamonhangabaRow 26 - Cell 2
28Alex Diniz Correia (Bra)Row 27 - Cell 2
29Gregory Panizo (Bra) Clube Dataro De Ciclismo - Foz Do IguacuRow 28 - Cell 2
30Rafael Infantino Abreu (Col) EPM - UNERow 29 - Cell 2
31Dario Mantelle (Ita)0:02:12
32Felipe Delai Da Silva (Bra) Clube Dataro De Ciclismo - Foz Do Iguacu0:02:17
33Mirko Tedeschi (Ita)0:02:22
34Daniel Rogelin (Bra)0:02:03
35Renato Aparecido Dos Santos (Bra) Clube Dataro De Ciclismo - Foz Do Iguacu0:02:27
36Antoelson Bruno (Bra)0:08:02
37Fabiano Motta (Bra)Row 36 - Cell 2
38Adelio Silva (Bra) Funvic - PindamonhangabaRow 37 - Cell 2
39Andrea Dal Col (Ita)Row 38 - Cell 2
40Eric Schildge (USA) Jamis - Sutter Home0:09:43
41Tiago Damasceno (Bra)Row 40 - Cell 2
42Geraldo Silva (Bra)Row 41 - Cell 2
43Magno Prado Nazaret (Bra) Funvic - PindamonhangabaRow 42 - Cell 2
44Cristian Egidio Da Rosa (Bra) Clube Dataro De Ciclismo - Foz Do Iguacu0:11:00
45Rubén Velasco (Spa)Row 44 - Cell 2
46Gasore Hategeka (Rwa) RwandaRow 45 - Cell 2
47Nathan Byukusenge (Rwa) RwandaRow 46 - Cell 2
48Lauro Cesar Chaman (Bra)Row 47 - Cell 2
49Fabiele Mota (Bra)Row 48 - Cell 2
50David Silva (Bra)Row 49 - Cell 2
51Jean Marcel Silva (Bra)Row 50 - Cell 2
52Murilo Affonso (Bra) Clube Dataro De Ciclismo - Foz Do IguacuRow 51 - Cell 2
53Rafiki Uwimana (Rwa) RwandaRow 52 - Cell 2
54Renan Maia (Bra)Row 53 - Cell 2
55Eugeny Zhupa (Alb)Row 54 - Cell 2
56Walter Ribeiro Junior (Bra)Row 55 - Cell 2
57Bruno Petroucic (Bra)Row 56 - Cell 2
58William Chiarello (Bra)Row 57 - Cell 2
59Marcos Novelo (Bra)Row 58 - Cell 2
60Jose Medeiros (Bra)Row 59 - Cell 2
61Willian Solera (Bra)Row 60 - Cell 2
62André Pulini (Bra)Row 61 - Cell 2
63Rodrigo Araujo (Bra) Clube Dataro De Ciclismo - Foz Do IguacuRow 62 - Cell 2
64Emanuel Rudahunga (Rwa) RwandaRow 63 - Cell 2
65Flavio Cardoso Santos (Bra) Funvic - PindamonhangabaRow 64 - Cell 2
66Alessandro Mazzi (Ita)Row 65 - Cell 2
67Armando Camargo Filho (Bra)Row 66 - Cell 2
68Tiago Fiorilli (Bra) Funvic - PindamonhangabaRow 67 - Cell 2
69Luiz Carlos Amorim Ferrao Tavares (Bra)Row 68 - Cell 2
70Jean Carlo Coloca (Bra)Row 69 - Cell 2
71Guido Emanuel Palma (Arg) Jamis - Sutter HomeRow 70 - Cell 2
72Kleber Da Silva Ramos (Bra)Row 71 - Cell 2
73Nelson Correia Jr. (Bra)Row 72 - Cell 2
74Mauricio Morandi (Bra)Row 73 - Cell 2
75Gonzalo Gonzalez (Chi)Row 74 - Cell 2
76Edgar Nohales Nieto (Spa)Row 75 - Cell 2
77Fabricio Morandi (Bra)Row 76 - Cell 2
78Nicodem Habiyambere (Rwa) Rwanda0:14:35
79Rogerio Santiago Silva (Bra)Row 78 - Cell 2
80Gustavo Costa (Bra)0:19:14
81Ricardo Piccoli (Bra)0:20:23
82Adriano Martins (Bra)0:22:33
83Mauricio Frazer (Arg)Row 82 - Cell 2
84Luis Nova (Chi)0:24:21
85Jonathan Guzmán (Chi)Row 84 - Cell 2
86Geovane Andriato (Bra)Row 85 - Cell 2
87Halysson Ferreira (Bra)Row 86 - Cell 2
88Francisco Chamorro (Arg)0:25:15
89Carlos Franca (Bra)Row 88 - Cell 2
90Bruno Fernando De Oliveira Tabanez (Bra)Row 89 - Cell 2
91Breno França Sidoti (Bra) Funvic - PindamonhangabaRow 90 - Cell 2
92Pedro Milan (Spa)Row 91 - Cell 2
DNQAlvimanio Chagas (Bra)0:28:56
DNQFabricio Santos (Bra)Row 93 - Cell 2
DNQRobson Dias (Bra)Row 94 - Cell 2
DNQCarlos Melo (Bra)Row 95 - Cell 2
DNQFelipe Marques (Bra)0:30:52
DNQObedi Ruvogera (Rwa) RwandaRow 97 - Cell 2
DNQWolfgang Burmann (Chi)Row 98 - Cell 2
DNQWeslen Oliveira (Bra)Row 99 - Cell 2
DNQVicente Muga (Chi)0:33:38
DNQJosé Mauricio Silva (Bra)0:35:23
DNQJosé Ronaldo Silva (Bra)Row 102 - Cell 2
DNQAntonio Santos (Por)Row 103 - Cell 2
DNQLuciano Pereira (Bra)0:36:30
DNQRenan Soares (Bra)Row 105 - Cell 2
DNQCamilo Velasquez (Chi)Row 106 - Cell 2
DNQDiego Ares (Bra)Row 107 - Cell 2
DNQRaphael Dorna (Bra)0:47:03
DNQIzael Silva (Bra)0:59:12
DNFJonas Melo (Bra)Row 110 - Cell 2
DNFEliel Balbino (Bra)Row 111 - Cell 2
DNFMichel Fernandez Garcia (Cub)Row 112 - Cell 2
DNFMauricio Knapp (Bra)Row 113 - Cell 2
DNFMarcelo Seixas Segundo (Bra)Row 114 - Cell 2
DNFAdriano Ribeiro (Bra)Row 115 - Cell 2
DNFNick Frey (USA) Jamis - Sutter HomeRow 116 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
General classification after stage 1
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Edgardo Simon (Arg)3:12:12
2Rafael Andriato (Bra)0:00:07
3Marco Coledan (Ita)0:00:09
4Antonio Xavier Nascimento (Bra) Funvic - Pindamonhangaba0:00:12
5Jaime Alberto Castaneda Ortega (Col) EPM - UNE0:00:13
6Andrei Nechita (Rom)Row 5 - Cell 2
7Juan Pablo Suarez Suarez (Col) EPM - UNERow 6 - Cell 2
8Robigzon Leandro Oyola Oyola (Col) EPM - UNERow 7 - Cell 2
9Renato Seabra (Bra) Clube Dataro De Ciclismo - Foz Do IguacuRow 8 - Cell 2
10Eduard Alexander Beltran Suarez (Col) EPM - UNERow 9 - Cell 2
11Javier Eduardo Gomez Pineda (Col) EPM - UNE0:00:22
12Filippo Fortin (Ita)0:02:16
13Edoardo Costanzi (Ita)Row 12 - Cell 2
14Ibon Zugasti Arrese (Spa)Row 13 - Cell 2
15Raphael Serpa (Bra)Row 14 - Cell 2
16Simone Fruini (Ita)Row 15 - Cell 2
17Roberto Pinheiro Silva (Bra) Funvic - PindamonhangabaRow 16 - Cell 2
18Marco Prodigioso (Ita)Row 17 - Cell 2
19Anibal Andres Borrajo (Arg) Jamis - Sutter HomeRow 18 - Cell 2
20Tyler Wren (USA) Jamis - Sutter HomeRow 19 - Cell 2
21Thiago Nardin (Bra)Row 20 - Cell 2
22Flavio Reblin (Bra)Row 21 - Cell 2
23Josep Betalu (Spa)Row 22 - Cell 2
24James Driscoll (USA) Jamis - Sutter HomeRow 23 - Cell 2
25Wagner Pereira Alves (Bra)Row 24 - Cell 2
26Alcides Flaviano Vieira (Bra) Clube Dataro De Ciclismo - Foz Do IguacuRow 25 - Cell 2
27Douglas Moi Bueno (Bra) Funvic - PindamonhangabaRow 26 - Cell 2
28Alex Diniz Correia (Bra)Row 27 - Cell 2
29Gregory Panizo (Bra) Clube Dataro De Ciclismo - Foz Do IguacuRow 28 - Cell 2
30Rafael Infantino Abreu (Col) EPM - UNERow 29 - Cell 2
31Daniel Rogelin (Bra)Row 30 - Cell 2
32Dario Mantelle (Ita)0:02:25
33Felipe Delai Da Silva (Bra) Clube Dataro De Ciclismo - Foz Do Iguacu0:02:30
34Mirko Tedeschi (Ita)0:02:35
35Renato Aparecido Dos Santos (Bra) Clube Dataro De Ciclismo - Foz Do Iguacu0:02:40
36Antoelson Bruno (Bra)0:08:15
37Fabiano Motta (Bra)Row 36 - Cell 2
38Adelio Silva (Bra) Funvic - PindamonhangabaRow 37 - Cell 2
39Andrea Dal Col (Ita)Row 38 - Cell 2
40Eric Schildge (USA) Jamis - Sutter Home0:09:56
41Tiago Damasceno (Bra)Row 40 - Cell 2
42Geraldo Silva (Bra)Row 41 - Cell 2
43Magno Prado Nazaret (Bra) Funvic - PindamonhangabaRow 42 - Cell 2
44Alessandro Mazzi (Ita)0:11:10
45Jose Medeiros (Bra)0:11:11
46Lauro Cesar Chaman (Bra)0:11:12
47Cristian Egidio Da Rosa (Bra) Clube Dataro De Ciclismo - Foz Do Iguacu0:11:13
48Rubén Velasco (Spa)Row 47 - Cell 2
49Gasore Hategeka (Rwa) RwandaRow 48 - Cell 2
50Nathan Byukusenge (Rwa) RwandaRow 49 - Cell 2
51Fabiele Mota (Bra)Row 50 - Cell 2
52David Silva (Bra)Row 51 - Cell 2
53Jean Marcel Silva (Bra)Row 52 - Cell 2
54Murilo Affonso (Bra) Clube Dataro De Ciclismo - Foz Do IguacuRow 53 - Cell 2
55Rafiki Uwimana (Rwa) RwandaRow 54 - Cell 2
56Renan Maia (Bra)Row 55 - Cell 2
57Walter Ribeiro Junior (Bra)Row 56 - Cell 2
58Bruno Petroucic (Bra)Row 57 - Cell 2
59William Chiarello (Bra)Row 58 - Cell 2
60Marcos Novelo (Bra)Row 59 - Cell 2
61Willian Solera (Bra)Row 60 - Cell 2
62André Pulini (Bra)Row 61 - Cell 2
63Rodrigo Araujo (Bra) Clube Dataro De Ciclismo - Foz Do IguacuRow 62 - Cell 2
64Emanuel Rudahunga (Rwa) RwandaRow 63 - Cell 2
65Flavio Cardoso Santos (Bra) Funvic - PindamonhangabaRow 64 - Cell 2
66Armando Camargo Filho (Bra)Row 65 - Cell 2
67Tiago Fiorilli (Bra) Funvic - PindamonhangabaRow 66 - Cell 2
68Luiz Carlos Amorim Ferrao Tavares (Bra)Row 67 - Cell 2
69Jean Carlo Coloca (Bra)Row 68 - Cell 2
70Guido Emanuel Palma (Arg) Jamis - Sutter HomeRow 69 - Cell 2
71Kleber Da Silva Ramos (Bra)Row 70 - Cell 2
72Nelson Correia Jr. (Bra)Row 71 - Cell 2
73Mauricio Morandi (Bra)Row 72 - Cell 2
74Gonzalo Gonzalez (Chi)Row 73 - Cell 2
75Edgar Nohales Nieto (Spa)Row 74 - Cell 2
76Fabricio Morandi (Bra)Row 75 - Cell 2
77Eugeny Zhupa (Alb)0:11:33
78Nicodem Habiyambere (Rwa) Rwanda0:14:48
79Rogerio Santiago Silva (Bra)Row 78 - Cell 2
80Gustavo Costa (Bra)0:19:27
81Ricardo Piccoli (Bra)0:20:36
82Adriano Martins (Bra)0:22:46
83Mauricio Frazer (Arg)Row 82 - Cell 2
84Luis Nova (Chi)0:24:34
85Jonathan Guzmán (Chi)Row 84 - Cell 2
86Geovane Andriato (Bra)Row 85 - Cell 2
87Halysson Ferreira (Bra)Row 86 - Cell 2
88Francisco Chamorro (Arg)0:25:28
89Carlos Franca (Bra)Row 88 - Cell 2
90Bruno Fernando De Oliveira Tabanez (Bra)Row 89 - Cell 2
91Breno França Sidoti (Bra) Funvic - PindamonhangabaRow 90 - Cell 2

 

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As a sports journalist and producer since 1997, Jane has covered Olympic and Commonwealth Games, rugby league, motorsport, cricket, surfing, triathlon, rugby union, and golf for print, radio, television and online. However her enduring passion has been cycling.

 

Jane is a former Australian Editor of Cyclingnews from 2011 to 2013 and continues to freelance within the cycling industry.


 

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