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17th Euskal Bizikleta - 2.HC

Spain, June 8-10, 2007

Main Page    Results   Overall standings    Previous Stage  

Stage 3 - June 10: ETB (Lurreta) - Arrate (Eibar), 152.5km

Total surprise in the Euskal Bizikleta

By Monika Prell in Eibar

Fernández de la Puebla. De la Fuente. Marchante. Plaza. Efimkin. None of those who were considered as favourites before today's stage of the Euskal Bizikleta was able to reach the final triumph.

Constantino Zaballa (Caisse d’Epargne) was the one to win the hardest stage and so he transformed himself into the overall winner of a crazy race, ahead of Jörg Jaksche (Tinkoff Credit Systems) and José Miguel Elias (Relax GAM).

The mountain classification was won by David López (Caisse d’Epargne), meanwhile Xabat Otxotorena (Orbea – Oreka) was able to defend his red jersey of the Meta Volante classification.

"I am feeling great on the Basque roads, and today I had the opportunity to demonstrate it one more time," commented Zaballa after he crossed the finishing line in Arrate in solitary. "Our team was very strong during the entire race and thanks to the number of riders ahead, we had the possibility to try to attack in turns. The result is perfect. I felt really well and I had to try, even if I knew that the final climb was not the best thing for me. But I was so motivated that I had the sufficient strength to be the first across the line. I want to dedicate this victory to all my teammates of the Caisse d’Epargne and also to my wife, Claudia, for her support."

How it unfolded

After the cancellation of yesterday’s individual time trial, the queen stage of the Euskal Bizikleta had to bring the decision of the overall triumph. The final stage from Iurreta to Arrate was started very early, at 9:30 am, near the building of the Basque television channel ETB, that celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. It was the hardest one: on the 152.5 kilometre circuit, the riders had to cross seven mountains. The first one, the Alto de Areitio (km 11.9) saw Matteo Carrara (Unibet.com) ahead of Arkaitz Durán (Saunier Duval) reaching the summit.

In the descent, a breakaway group of fourteen cyclists formed, amongst them some well known names like David López, Constantino Zaballa and Aitor Pérez (Caisse d’Epargne), Jörg Jaksche (Tinkoff Credit Systems), Isidro Nozal (Karpin – Galicia) and the leader of the Metas Volantes classification, Xabat Otxotorena (Orbea – Oreka). Ten kilometres later, eight more riders joined this group, among them four Euskaltel – Euskadi riders (Beñat Albizuri, Unai Etxebarria, Iban Iriondo and Iban Mayoz) and one more big favourite for the overall, Rubén Plaza (Caisse d’Epargne), who was only 41 seconds behind the leader, Vladimir Efimkin.

The intense work of Saunier Duval in the peloton kept the advantage of the break away under four minutes.

Xabat Otxotorena secured the overall Metas Volantes classification by winning the sprint in Eibar, followed by the best new professional, Dario Cataldo (Liquigas) and Aitor Pérez (Caisse d’Epargne).

In the ascension to the Alto de Ixua (km 81.4), a first category mountain, the breakaway group lost some of its members.

David López (Caisse d’Epargne) was first across this mountain classification, followed by his teammate Zaballa and the Tinkoff rider Jaksche. A group of eight cyclists reached the feed zone in Markina together; Paolo Longo Borghini (Barloworld), David López, Rubén Plaza and Constantino Zaballa (Caisse d’Epargne), Matteo Carrara (Unibet.com), José Miguel Elias (Relax GAM), Jörg Jaksche (Tinkoff Credit Systems) and Isidro Nozal (Karpin Galizia) were able to eat about two minutes earlier than their colleagues.

The Alto de Trabakua (3rd category) was conquered first by David López (Caisse d’Epargne). The break away group still had to ride 51.5 kilometres.

After tonight’s heavy rain falls, the sun came out and on the Alto de Arrate, the final mountain of the Euskal Bizikleta, the spectators were able to sunbathe while they waited for the cyclists.

In the descent of the Alto de Trabakua, a group of ten cyclists around the leader Vladimir Efimkin formed, including José Ángel Gómez Marchante and Alberto Fernández de la Puebla (Saunier Duval), Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi), The brothers Alexander and Vladimir Efimkin (Barloworld and Caisse d’Epargne), Patxi Vila (Lampre), Óscar Sevilla (Relax GAM), Alberto Martínez (Agritubel), Luis Pérez (Andalucía Cajasur) and Eladio Jiménez (Karpin Galicia) that chased the break away group which had an advantage of 1 minute and 57 seconds at kilometre 115.

David López was also the first on the Alto de Ixua, ahead of Zaballa and Jaksche. Samuel Sánchez, the kamikaze, could not resist and escaped from the group around Efimkin in the descent. The chasing Patxi Vila captured him at kilometre 140, while Zaballa won the Meta Volante in Eibar, immediately before the beginning of the ascension to the Alto de Arrate, where he was able to get away and win in solitary, thirty seconds ahead of his compatriot José Miguel Elias and the German Jörg Jaksche. With this stage win the Spaniard also took the overall of the Euskal Bizikleta 2007.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Christine Grein/www.capture-the-peloton.com

Results

1 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                   3.58.57
2 Jose Miguel Elias Galindo (Spa) Relax - Gam                     0.30
3 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) Tinkoff Credit System
4 Isidro Nozal (Spa) Karpin Galicia                               1.09
5 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Unibet.com                                 1.44
6 Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Barloworld                           2.00
7 Rubén Plaza (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                              2.39
8 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                        3.05
9 Patxi Vila (Spa) Lampre - Fondital
10 Alexander Efimkin (Rus) Barloworld                             4.20
11 Oscar Sevilla Ribera (Spa) Relax - Gam                         4.32
12 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                      4.38
13 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne                        4.49
14 Eladio Jiménez (Spa) Karpin Galicia                            5.10
15 Luis Pérez Rodriguez (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur
16 Aaron Villegas Trapaga (Spa) Orbea - Laukiz F.T.               7.16
17 Alberto Fernández De La Puebla (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir    7.18
18 José Angel Gomez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir        7.20
19 José Alberto Martínez (Spa) Agritubel                          7.36
20 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Relax - Gam                            8.28
21 Javier Mejias Leal (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir
22 Luis Pasamontes Rodriguez (Spa) Unibet.com                     8.46
23 Iker Flores Galarza (Spa) Fuerteventura - Canarias
24 Francesco Di Paolo (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo        9.48
25 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas                                10.45
26 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Unibet.com
27 Iban Mayoz (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                          12.15
28 Moises Duenas Nevado (Spa) Agritubel
29 Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas
30 Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
31 Roberto Traficante (Ita) Team L.P.R.
32 José Luis Carrasco Gamiz (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur
33 Claudio Casas (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur
34 Paolo Bailetti (Ita) Team L.P.R.
35 David Herrero Llorente (Spa) Karpin Galicia
36 Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Tinkoff Credit System
37 Juan Olmo Menacho (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur                   13.30
38 Marcos Serrano (Spa) Karpin Galicia                           14.49
39 Mikel Artetxe Gezuraga (Spa) Fuerteventura - Canarias
40 David Garcia (Spa) Karpin Galicia                             21.40
41 Manuel Calvente Gorbas (Spa) Agritubel
42 Unai Etxebarria Arana (Ven) Euskaltel - Euskadi
43 David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir
44 Oscar Garcia Casarrubios Pintor (Spa) Relax - Gam
45 Jon Bru (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
46 Lander Aperribai (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
47 Xabat Ochotorena (Spa) Orbea - Laukiz F.T.
48 Beñat Albizuri Aransolo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
49 Pedro Arreitunandia Quintero (Spa) Barloworld
 
Points
 
Arrate, km 152.5 
1 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                        25 pts
2 Jose Miguel Elias Galindo (Spa) Relax - Gam                       20
3 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) Tinkoff Credit System                          16
4 Isidro Nozal (Spa) Karpin Galicia                                 14
5 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Unibet.com                                   12
6 Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Barloworld                             10
7 Rubén Plaza (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                                 9
8 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                           8
9 Patxi Vila (Spa) Lampre - Fondital                                 7
10 Alexander Efimkin (Rus) Barloworld                                6
11 Oscar Sevilla Ribera (Spa) Relax - Gam                            5
12 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                         4
13 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne                           3
14 Eladio Jiménez (Spa) Karpin Galicia                               2
15 Luis Pérez Rodriguez (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur                    1
 
Mountains
 
Areitio, km 12.3 
1 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Unibet.com                                    3 pts
2 Arkaitz Durán (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir                         1
 
Trabakua, km 65
1 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                          3 pts
2 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                         1
 
Ixua, km 81
1 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                         10
2 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                         8
3 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) Tinkoff Credit System                           6
4 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Unibet.com                                    4
5 Jose Miguel Elias Galindo (Spa) Relax - Gam                        2
 
Trabakua, km 101
1 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                          3 pts
2 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Unibet.com                                    1
 
Ixua, km 118
1 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                         10
2 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                         8
3 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) Tinkoff Credit System                           6
4 Jose Miguel Elias Galindo (Spa) Relax - Gam                        4
5 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Unibet.com                                    2
 
San Miguel, km 132
1 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                          6 pts
2 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) Tinkoff Credit System                           4
3 Jose Miguel Elias Galindo (Spa) Relax - Gam                        2
 
Usartza, km 150
1 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                        10 pts
2 Jose Miguel Elias Galindo (Spa) Relax - Gam                        8
3 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) Tinkoff Credit System                           6
4 Isidro Nozal (Spa) Karpin Galicia                                  4
5 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Unibet.com                                    2
 
Metas Volantes
 
Eibar, km 76.1
1 Xabat Ochotorena (Spa) Orbea - Laukiz F.T.                         3 pts
2 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Liquigas                                       2
3 Aitor Pérez Arrieta (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                         1
 
Eibar, km 143.5
1 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                         3 pts
2 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) Tinkoff Credit System                           2
3 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                          1
 
Teams
 
1 Caisse d'Epargne                                            12.04.08
2 Relax-Gam                                                       6.13
3 Karpin Galicia                                                 11.17
4 Unibet.com                                                     13.58
5 Saunier Duval-Prodir                                           15.49
6 Barloworld                                                     20.43
7 Andalucia-Cayasur                                              22.23
8 Euskaltel-Euskadi                                              29.43
9 Agritubel                                                      34.14
 
General classification
 
1 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                  10.33.34
2 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) Tinkoff Credit System                        0.30
3 Jose Miguel Elias Galindo (Spa) Relax - Gam
4 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Unibet.com                                 1.44
5 Rubén Plaza (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                              2.39
6 Patxi Vila (Spa) Lampre - Fondital                              3.05
7 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
8 Oscar Sevilla Ribera (Spa) Relax - Gam                          3.59
9 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne                         4.08
10 Alexander Efimkin (Rus) Barloworld                             4.20
11 Eladio Jiménez (Spa) Karpin Galicia                            4.37
12 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                      4.38
13 Luis Pérez Rodriguez (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur                 5.10
14 Alberto Fernández De La Puebla (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir    6.39
15 José Angel Gomez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir        6.47
16 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Relax - Gam                            8.28
17 Javier Mejias Leal (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir
18 José Alberto Martínez (Spa) Agritubel                          8.33
19 Iker Flores Galarza (Spa) Fuerteventura - Canarias             8.46
20 Aaron Villegas Trapaga (Spa) Orbea - Laukiz F.T.               8.55
21 Luis Pasamontes Rodriguez (Spa) Unibet.com                    10.25
22 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas                                11.42
23 Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Tinkoff Credit System                   12.15
24 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Unibet.com                               12.24
25 Roberto Traficante (Ita) Team L.P.R.                          13.03
26 Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Barloworld                         13.06
27 David Herrero Llorente (Spa) Karpin Galicia                   13.12
28 Moises Duenas Nevado (Spa) Agritubel
29 Isidro Nozal (Spa) Karpin Galicia                             13.17
30 Paolo Bailetti (Ita) Team L.P.R.                              13.54
31 José Luis Carrasco Gamiz (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur
32 Marcos Serrano (Spa) Karpin Galicia                           14.49
33 Claudio Casas (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur                       14.55
34 Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
35 Juan Olmo Menacho (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur                   16.10
36 Mikel Artetxe Gezuraga (Spa) Fuerteventura - Canarias         16.28
37 Iban Mayoz (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                          18.36
38 Francesco Di Paolo (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo       20.54
39 Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas                                21.03
40 David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir       21.35
41 Manuel Calvente Gorbas (Spa) Agritubel                        21.40
42 David Garcia (Spa) Karpin Galicia                             23.19
43 Oscar Garcia Casarrubios Pintor (Spa) Relax - Gam             24.20
44 Beñat Albizuri Aransolo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi             30.28
45 Lander Aperribai (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
46 Unai Etxebarria Arana (Ven) Euskaltel - Euskadi
47 Pedro Arreitunandia Quintero (Spa) Barloworld
48 Xabat Ochotorena (Spa) Orbea - Laukiz F.T.                    32.46
49 Jon Bru (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                             34.55
 
Points classification
 
1 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                        35 pts
2 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne                           28
3 Alberto Fernández De La Puebla (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir       25
4 Oscar Sevilla Ribera (Spa) Relax - Gam                            21
5 Jose Miguel Elias Galindo (Spa) Relax - Gam                       20
6 Alexander Efimkin (Rus) Barloworld                                20
7 José Angel Gomez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir           20
8 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) Tinkoff Credit System                          16
9 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Unibet.com                                   16
10 Eladio Jiménez (Spa) Karpin Galicia                              16
11 Isidro Nozal (Spa) Karpin Galicia                                14
12 David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir          12
13 Beñat Albizuri Aransolo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                12
14 Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Barloworld                            11
15 Patxi Vila (Spa) Lampre - Fondital                               10
16 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                         10
17 Rubén Plaza (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                                9
18 Javier Mejias Leal (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir                   6
19 Xabat Ochotorena (Spa) Orbea - Laukiz F.T.                        6
20 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                         4
21 Luis Pérez Rodriguez (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur                    2
 
Mountains classification
 
1 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                         42 pts
2 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                        27
3 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) Tinkoff Credit System                          22
4 Jose Miguel Elias Galindo (Spa) Relax - Gam                       16
5 Jon Bru (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                                 14
6 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Unibet.com                                   12
7 Oscar Sevilla Ribera (Spa) Relax - Gam                            10
8 José Angel Gomez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir            8
9 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne                            6
10 Alberto Fernández De La Puebla (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir       6
11 Eladio Jiménez (Spa) Karpin Galicia                               4
12 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Relax - Gam                               4
13 Isidro Nozal (Spa) Karpin Galicia                                 4
14 David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir           4
15 Xabat Ochotorena (Spa) Orbea - Laukiz F.T.                        3
16 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas                                    1
 
Metas Volantes classification
 
1 Xabat Ochotorena (Spa) Orbea - Laukiz F.T.                        12 pts
2 Jon Bru (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                                  4
3 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                         3
4 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) Tinkoff Credit System                           2
5 Isidro Nozal (Spa) Karpin Galicia                                  2
6 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                          1
7 Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas                                     1
 
Teams classification
 
1 Caisse d'Epargne                                            31.47.07
2 Relax-Gam                                                       6.32
3 Karpin Galicia                                                 12.33
4 Saunier Duval-Prodir                                           15.24
5 Unibet.com                                                     18.08
6 Andalucia-Cayasur                                              25.51
7 Barloworld                                                     31.20
8 Euskaltel-Euskadi                                              35.55
9 Agritubel                                                      37.00