November 19, 2010 (Costa Rica) – After 3h:58m:19s of pedaling like the five-time La Ruta winner he is, Lico Ramirez showed up at the finish line with a smile on his face, worn out yet satisfied with the time he has trimmed down to seven minutes from the leading rider, Ben Sonntag. “I am closer now, I must shorten the distance from the top rider tomorrow”, said today’s winner.

“Congratulations, well done.” This is how Alex Grant, third place on the stage, congratulated Ramírez on his stage win.

Lico was followed by Ben Sonntag and Grant, who came through the finish line at 4h:03m:03s.

“Our strategy meant staying together and not to run unnecessary risks, the climbs were very steep”, said Grant. Sonntag added that they had “never confronted these types of ascents and that the worn down downhills made it difficult to try to shorten distance at times”.

When asking Sonntag about Ramirez he said, “It’s no surprise that Lico has won the Stage, there is no doubt who’s the favorite, he’s won La Ruta five times, I am happy to have held on to the jersey”.

In fourth place came Luis Leão Pinto from Portugal.

On the women’s division Ángela Parra took first place once again with a time of 5h:13m:58s. She was quite pleased but was reserved on her comments. “The fourth stage is decisive, mainly on the railroads you need much courage since it’s quite wearing”.

Louise Kobin came in second, she is happy with her outcome and believes Ángela is a very strong rival.

Tomorrow’s stage will start at 06:00 and will climb towards the Turrialba Volcano at over 9000ft, then to descend to the town of Turrialba at 1800ft. Total distance equals 78Km.

Women
1. Angela Parra Sierra (Col) 5:13:58
2. Louise Kobin (USA) 0:03:31
3. Rebecca Rusch (USA) 0:13:24
4. Jane Rynbrandt (USA) 0:54:02
5. Brenda María Muñoz Arce (CRc) 0:55:03
6. Ligia Madrigal (CRc) 1:13:30
7. Dianna Ineman (USA) 1:53:21
8. Kristin Kopec (Can) 2:11:19
9. April Sky Herring (USA) 2:36:33
10. Sandra Pereira M.O. Garnier (PRc) 2:38:42
11. Cassandra Lean Stamm (USA) 3:15:17

Men
1. Federico Ramirez Mendez (CRc) 3:58:19
2. Alex Grant (USA) 0:04:44
3. Benjamin Sonntag (Ger)
4. Luis Leao Pinto (PRc) 0:08:59
5. Milton Ramos (CRc) 0:13:47
6. Manuel Prado (CRc) 0:17:30
7. Ismael Ventura sanchez (Spa) 0:23:09
8. Luis Mejia Sanchez (Col) 0:25:45
9. Samuel Tyler Schultz (USA) 0:27:34
10. Juan carlos Fallas Rodriguez (CRc) 0:34:05
11. Thomas Turner (USA) 0:34:38
12. Leonard Jason Tullous (USA) 0:34:40
13. Santos Corea Gutierrez (CRc) 0:45:26
14. James Andrew Lehman (USA) 0:50:20
15. Alfredo Cesar Acosta Gonzalez (CRc) 0:52:50
16. Juan Carlos Marin Valenciano (CRc) 0:57:57
17. Blake Harlan (USA) 1:01:44
18. Mario Alfredo Meneses Bonilla (CRc) 1:11:02
19. Javier Lanzuela Sanchez (Spa) 1:14:02
20. Luis Diego Chaverri Madden (CRc) 1:15:18
21. Adam Pulford (USA) 1:21:58
22. Daniel Perez (USA) 1:26:04
23. Stephanus Francois Millard (RSA) 1:26:43
24. Felix Arratzoa Arrechea (Spa) 1:28:25
25. Fernando Salazar (CRc) 1:37:27
26. Pavel Popiolek (Cze) 1:38:52
27. Javier Badilla Badilla (CRc) 1:40:19
28. Corey Scobie (USA) 1:42:14
29. Marco Amador Jimenez (CRc) 1:49:22
30. Iñigo Labat Yanguas (Spa) 1:51:51
31. Alvaro José Lanuza Viquez (CRc) 1:51:53
32. Eric Kollai (USA) 1:54:22
33. Rodrigo Herrera Solorzano (CRc) 1:54:42
34. Jose Santos Blandon Miranda (CRc) 1:56:07
35. Luis fernando Mora Hidalgo (CRc) 1:58:01
36. Heiner Mora Quiros (CRc) 1:59:30
37. Ron Rel (USA) 2:00:02
38. Anthony Steve Fonseca Sanchez (CRc) 2:03:00
39. Arnoldo Loaiza Duran (CRc) 2:06:01
40. Max Araya Orozco (CRc) 2:06:06
41. Van Dupree Council (USA) 2:06:08
42. Monte Hewett (USA) 2:07:45
43. Pablo Castrillo (CRc) 2:09:19
44. Felipe Castro Barquero (CRc)
45. Leonel Gomez Navarro (CRc) 2:09:21
46. Walter Blanco (CRc) 2:11:34
47. Juan Pablo Venegas Herrera (CRc) 2:12:12
48. Allan Padilla U. (CRc) 2:20:02
49. Iker Maíz (Mex) 2:23:30
50. Mauricio Alvarado Rivera (CRc) 2:31:23
51. Rolando Flores Guerrero (Mex) 2:35:19
52. Carlos Arce Estrada (CRc) 2:37:09
53. Julio Mena monge (CRc) 2:38:21
54. Luis Rubi Quant (CRc) 2:38:55
55. Andrew Slayton (USA)
56. Mario Albertry Rodriguez Sequeira (CRc) 2:39:06
57. Ben Morris (USA) 2:41:59
58. Carlos Robles Cordero (CRc) 2:42:58
59. Leonel Chacon Chan (CRc) 2:43:38
60. Fernando José Hernandez Brenes (CRc) 2:45:17
61. Roberto Monge Brenes (CRc) 2:45:18
62. Gigi Giyora Stahi (CRc) 2:46:41
63. Javier Jose Gurdian Astua (CRc) 2:47:02
64. Matthew Ohran (USA) 2:52:46
65. Kenneth Sanabria (CRc) 2:52:57
66. Rob Bilich (Cro) 2:54:32
67. Seraphin John Millon (USA) 2:57:22
68. Dirk Luttekes (Ned) 3:01:08
69. Scott Kuppersmith (USA) 3:03:46
70. Luis Arias Muñoz (CRc) 3:05:16
71. John Paul Matzigkeit (USA) 3:06:37
72. Joe Czempoyesh (Can) 3:07:40
73. Mario Alberto Sanchez Hernandez (CRc) 3:09:29
74. Braulio Esteban Leiva Perez (CRc) 3:10:00
75. Peter Ackerman (Swi)
76. Andres Fernandez (CRc) 3:11:46
77. Mauricio Richmond Padilla (CRc)
78. Gabriel Dario Montero Ramos (Ecu)
79. John Christopher Sagebiel (USA) 3:13:21
80. Alejandro Arias Victory (CRc) 3:13:42
81. Erick Diaz Vivian (Mex) 3:17:58
82. Jon Christian Carmichael (USA) 3:18:54
83. David John Burke (Can) 3:19:08
84. Mark Christopher Rago (USA) 3:23:25
85. Andrew Merrick (Can) 3:24:12
86. Wilbert Solis Azofeifa (CRc) 3:25:08
87. Jerry José Zamora Rojas (CRc) 3:26:21
88. Christopher Music (CRc) 3:26:38
89. Thomas F Smith (USA) 3:29:51
90. Modesto Jimenez Vargas (CRc) 3:34:03
91. Carlos José Achan Sanchez (CRc)
92. David Leal Cruz (CRc) 3:37:10
93. Jonathan Chaves Calvo (CRc) 3:38:50
94. Geovanny Gomez Navarro (CRc) 3:43:27
95. Danny A. corrales Zecca (CRc) 3:45:18
96. Marcel Bachmann (Swi) 3:45:51
97. Ronan Garnier (Fra) 3:46:48
98. Martin Lorenzo y Lozada (Uru)
99. Diego Rapetti (Uru)
100. Carlos Calvo Ramazzini (CRc) 3:47:11
101. Rafael Mesen Solis (CRc) 3:47:22
102. Chris Waldron (Can) 3:47:41
103. Thomas Sandi campos (CRc) 3:49:19
104. Anthony Damico Jr (USA) 3:52:12
105. Robert Quinn (USA) 3:58:40
106. Jorge Salazar (CRc) 4:01:38
107. Francisco Sanchez Castillo (CRc) 4:02:16
108. Johann Kroll (Aut) 4:02:59
109. Fernando Salazar Martinez (Mex) 4:04:05
110. Juan Simon Ocaña Ortiz (Mex)
111. Alan Arguello Diaz (CRc) 4:09:54
112. Alberto José Gamboa Pacheco (CRc) 4:12:08
113. Juan Carlos Contreras Rave (CRc) 4:16:56
114. Silvia E. Cespedes Quesada (CRc)
115. David Johnston (Can) 4:17:55
116. Manuel Marco (Mex) 4:18:46
117. Olman Nuñez Varela (CRc) 4:19:31
118. Luis Eduardo Peralta Orozco (Mex) 4:23:21
119. Fidel Garza Chapa (Mex) 4:23:23
120. Lawson Willard (USA) 4:28:52
121. Rafael A. Salazar Castro (CRc) 4:30:06
122. Martin Fuentes Ruiz (CRc) 4:32:13
123. Henry Wong Castro (CRc) 4:34:51
124. Bruno Carvalho (PRc) 4:42:59
125. Mauricio J. Ortiz Odio (CRc) 4:46:55
126. Pablo Gamez (CRc) 4:47:10
127. Julio Molina Arias (CRc)
128. Esteban Roman (CRc) 4:57:08
129. Heart Akerson (USA) 4:57:43

GC after Stage 2 (brief)
Women
1. Angela Parra Sierra (Col) 12:37:16
2. Louise Kobin (USA) 0:26:55
3. Rebecca Rusch (USA) 0:45:42

Men
1. Benjamin Sonntag (Ger) 10:01:41
2. Alex Grant (USA) 0:02:29
3. Federico Ramirez Mendez (CRc) 0:07:49
4. Milton Ramos (CRc) 0:18:06
5. Luis Mejia Sanchez (CRc) 0:22:42
6. Luis Leao Pinto (PRt) 0:25:06
7. Manuel Prado (CRc) 0:33:37
8. Ismael Ventura sanchez (Spa) 0:42:37
9. Sam Schultz (USA) 0:44:36
10. Santos Corea Gutierrez (CRc) 0:55:33