April 25, 2007 – Alejandro Borrajo (Rite Aid) of Argentina unleashed an impressive last-minute sprint in the final 100 meters to win Tour of Virginia’s stage 2 criterium in 49:51.

Borrajo hid deep within the pack-relying heavily on the protective wheels of strong teammates like Ian Ayers of Charlottesville, VA-through almost the entire twisty, hilly, 25-lap course.

Still, Borrajo’s final kick allowed him with just enough time to sit up and blow kisses to the cheering crowd before the rest of the peloton crossed the line.

Borrajo’s win demonstrated the same sprinting expertise he has used to amass top-10 stage finishes at big-time races around the world like Italy’s Giro d’Italia.

“These are the kinds of courses that suit me well,” said Borrajo through his interpreter.

Borrajo’s stage win moved him into 6th general classification.

To boot, today is Borrajo’s 27th birthday.

Wendy Cruz of Columbia-based CAICO finished second. Cruz, 30, failed to explain his absence at the podium ceremony. Chief referee Beth Wrenn-Estes verified he will be assessed a fine of 100 Euros and void all prize money according to race rules established by the International Cycling Union (UCI).

Jonathan Cantwell (Kahala-La Grange) of Australia finished third-a strong showing in what is only his second appearance in a U.S. road race.

“The big hill at the end took it out of the sprinters,” said Cantwell as he savored his podium finish. He assured he’d have plenty of time during the rest of the week trying to help his other teammates climb the GC latter.

Russ Langley (Battley Harley-Davidson/Hudson Trail) of Washington, DC ended his first day competing in a NRC race on a high note; he finished the stage 24th, only a few seconds behind the leaders.

Langley’s solid effort kept him on top of the GC to wear the Natural Bridge Leader Jersey for at least one more day.

“The pace was so high, said Langley. “But it spread way out at the very end,” he added. “For a sprinter like me that makes it easier to hang on and survive. I just wanted to get through it . My goal for this race was to gain fitness, so anything beyond fitness is a bonus,” he continued.

Jesse Anthony (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada), 21, of Beverly, MA was awarded the Sprint Leader jersey, hinting at the strength of his team, which many observers consider the one to beat.

Despite being a downtown race, mountain points were awarded for the grueling climb near the end of the circuit.

Dan Bowman (KBS/Medifast), 25, of Longmont, CO proved himself king of the “urban mountains” and donned the Augusta Medical Center Mountain Jersey after the race.

Nathan Bartels (Team Type 1), 27, of West Des Moines, IA was involved in a multi-rider crash almost half way through the race.

“My back tire rolled or popped,” said Bartles as he nursed scrapes on his arms and chin and his shoulder that was temporarily disjointed during his crash.

Bartels brushed off the pain with similar resolve that he and his Team Type 1 teammates, all of whom have diabetes, show every day as they manage to compete at a high level.

J.P. Partland (Skinny Js) aptly described the course: “It’s 800 watts coming up the last hill and it looked like even the pros we’re dying.”

Lynchburg mayor Joan Foster voiced the city’s enthusiasm as she presented the podium ceremony. Foster described the stage as “absolutely awesome” and extended the city’s invitation to continue hosting the Tour of Virginia in the future.

“Next year we’ll double these crowds,” said Foster as she congratulated Barrajo on his stage win.

“I love you!” Borrajo replied in broken, yet utterly sincere English.

Stage Three: Bedford – Covington Road Race, April 25, 2007
The second day of racing features the longest stage of all: a 110 mile, point-to-point road race running from Bedford to Covington. Initially gently rolling, the route traces the James River westward, before entering the Alleghany Highlands at Warm Springs Mountain – a Category 1, seven-mile long serpentine climb that marks the first serious topographic challenge of the race. A short descent into the new finish venue of Covington will cap off a day of high drama and excitement.

Stage 2 Results The Lynchburg Criterium, 25 miles

1. Alejandro Borrajo (Arg) Rite Aid Pro Cycling 0:49:51
2. Wendy Charger (Dom) Caico Cycling Team 0:49:51
3. Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Kahala-La Grange 0:49:51

General Classification After Stage 2

1. Russ Langley (USA) Battely Harley-Davidson/Hudson Trail 0:57:56/0:0:0
2. Eddy Hilger (USA) Priority Health / Bissell 0:57:57/0:0:1
3. Winston David* (USA) AEG-Toshiba-Jet Network 0:57:58/0:0:2

For full results, visit the official Tour of Virginia web site here.