October 12, 2007 – Canada’s Keven Lacombe (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) won the fifth stage at the Vuelta A Chihuahua today, Creel-Cuauhtémoc, 152.8 km. In the mad dash to the finish Symmetrics Fuelled By Farmpure’s Andrew Pinfold was 4th, with top GC rider-cum-sprinter Christian Meier finishing 10th. Kelly Benefit Strategies took control with about 20km to go and did a strong job of riding back the day-long break as Lacombe took the win. Meier remains in 3rd overall and first in the U23 classification. There are still four riders who remain with the same time on overall GC.

The Day’s Events

The stage started very aggressive, with numerous attacks from the gun. The terrain out of Creel was hilly, and right away there were riders being dropped, creating large splits in the main group. The S-team was always in the front splits. Will Routley made another savvy move to form the first break, however it was short-lived. The next move contained riders from Canels, Slipstream, Relax, Agritubel, Tecos, Arenas and Fuerte Ventura. The Slipstream rider was Timmy Duggan who was only 15 seconds down on GC – meaning he quickly became the GC rider on the road.

The Spanish teams were not happy at all that a GC rider like Duggan was up the road – the Saunier and Relax teams set tempo in the main field. After 15-20km the race radio said that both Santi Perez and Duggan were coming back to the main field. There were rumours that the break was riding Duggan off the back. With him gone, the break rolled but never got more than four minutes.

Up front the Fuerte Ventura rider attacked his remaining break companions really early and pretty much rode the break solo. It was an impressive effort from Polamares from Fuerte.

Relax and Saunier rode tempo in the main field all day. There was nervous tension as everyone was anticipating an aggressive final climb with 25km followed by 18 km of descending. But again the profile was deceptive. The final climb was really a non-climb. It was big ring highway grade on a wide 4-lane road.

The Kelly team came to the front nearing the top of the final climb and rode super hard on the downhill catching the Fuerte Ventura rider with 4km to go and setting up a big bunch finish. In the finish Pinfold freelanced, following the fastest wheels and Cam led Christian to the line. “I went too early,” Pinfold said after the race. “I misjudged the distance to the finish and Lacombe did an amazing sprint to hold off the two riders from Liberty.”

Tomorrow’s should be a fairly uneventful day – it’s mostly downhill, so there are no chances for the four riders on equal time on GC to create any time gaps…


Results

1. Keven Lacombe (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 3:27:15
2. Filipe Cardoso (Por) Liberty Seguros
3. Cesar Quiterio (Por) Liberty Seguros
4. Andrew Pinfold (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team
5. Antonio Aldape (Mex) Canel’s Turbo
6. Cuitlahuac Ayala (Mex) Arenas Tlacala
7. Daniel Moreno (Esp) Relax Gam Fuenlabrada
8. Francisco Mancebo (Esp) Relax Gam Fuenlabrada
9. Mikel Artetxe (Esp) Fuerte Ventura Canarias
10. Christian Meier (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team
11. Javier Mejias (Esp) Saunier Duval Prodir
12. Iosvani Falcon (Cub) Aeg Toshiba
13. Eduardo Gonzalo (Esp) Agritubel
14. Eder Arenas (Mex) Arenas Tlacala
15. Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Ceramica Flamina Cycling Team
16. Hector Rangel (Mex) Tua Tecos Universidad Autonoma
17. Edgardo Lugo (Mex) Canel’s Turbo
18. Blake Caldwell (Usa) Team Slipstream
19. Ricardo Tapia (Mex) Are Arenas Tlacala
20. Santiago Perez (Esp) Relax Gam Fuenlabrada
21. Fausto Esparza (Mex) Tecos Universidad Autonoma
22. Jose Bonilla (Crc) Ftv Fuerte Ventura Canarias
23. Emilien Berges (Fra) Agritubel
24. Oscar Barron (Mex) Orven
25. Steven Cozza (Usa) Team Slipstream
26. Gilberto Porras (Mex) Rica Burguer
27. Francisco Matamoros (Mex) Tecos Universidad Autonoma
28. Pedro Covarrubias (Mex) Orven
29. Maxime Bouet (Fra) Agritubel
30. Vitor Rodrigues (Por) Liberty Seguros
31. Oscar Sevilla (Esp) Relax Gam Fuenlabrada
32. Eduardo Graciano (Mex) Orven
33. Cameron Evans (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team
34. Lucas Euser (Usa) Team Slipstream
35. Geoff Kabush (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team
36. Carlos Lopez (Mex) Canel’s Turbo
37. Gregorio Ladino (Col) Tecos Universidad Autonoma
38. Nacor Burgos (Esp) Relax Gam Fuenlabrada
39. Jessel Valenzuela (Mex) Orven
40. Jose Soto (Mex) Are Arenas Tlacala
41. David Bernabeu (Esp) Fuerte Ventura Canarias
42. Timothy Duggan (Usa) Team Slipstream
43. Bernardo Colex (Mex) Tecos Universidad Autonoma
44. Jesus Grajeda (Mex) Orven
45. Will Routley (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team
46. Luis Pinheiro (Por) Liberty Seguros
47. Domingo Gonzalez (Mex) Orven
48. Uriel Clara (Mex) Canel’s Turbo
49. Danny Pate (Usa) Team Slipstream
50. Ruben Lobato (Esp) Saunier Duval Prodir
51. Daniel Bowman (Usa) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
52. Nuno Ribeiro (Por) Liberty Seguros
53. Alex Hagman (Usa) Aeg Toshiba
54. Jose Elias (Esp) Reg Relax Gam Fuenlabrada
55. David Muñoz (Esp) Fuerte Ventura Canarias
56. La De (Esp) David Sdv Saunier Duval Prodir
57. Arquimedes Lam (Mex) Canel’s Turbo
58. Alberto Fernandez (Esp) Saunier Duval Prodir
59. William Frischkorn (Usa) Team Slipstream
60. Carlos Hernandez (Mex) Can Canel’s Turbo
61. Jose Gomez (Mex) Jesus Are Arenas Tlacala
62. Ryan Blicken (Usa) Rica Burguer
63. John Parra (Col) Tua Tecos Universidad Autonoma
64. Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) Agritubel 3:27:49
65. Jonathan Mumford (Usa) Kbm Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 3:27:52
66. Justin Spinelli (Usa) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 3:27:52
67. Joel Alamillo (Mex) Arenas Tlacala 3:27:52
68. Ryan Roth (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 3:28:03
69. Carlos Nozal (Por) Liberty Seguros 3:28:39
70. David Belda (Esp) Fuerte Ventura Canarias 3:30:10
71. Adrian Palomares (Esp) Fuerte Ventura Canarias 3:30:10
72. Martin Robles (Mex) Rica Burguer 3:37:06
73. Roberto Rodriguez (Mex) Fullerton Bicycleo Novo 3:37:10
74. Marco Rios (Mex) Fullerton Bicycleo Novo 3:37:35
75. Juan Villela (Mex) Ric Rica Burguer 3:41:57
76. Miguel Gonzalez (Mex) Uac Universidad Autonoma De Chihuahua 3:41:57
77. Edgar Treviño (Mex) Orven 3:41:57
78. Eduardo Vicencio (Mex) Rica Burguer 3:41:57
79. Rafael Aguilar (Mex) Universidad Autonoma De Chihuahua 3:42:05
80. Henry Swinty (Usa) Rica Burguer 3:42:05
81. Antonio Velazquez (Mex) Rica Burguer 3:42:05
82. Saul Figueroa (Mex) Universidad Autonoma De Chihuahua 3:42:05
83. Daniel Duarte (Mex) Universidad Autonoma De Chihuahua 3:42:11
84. Enrique Mendez (Mex) Universidad Autonoma De Chihuahua 3:42:11
85. Ivan Borunda (Mex) Universidad Autonoma De Chihuahua 3:47:08
86. Misael Ramirez (Mex) Universidad Autonoma De Chihuahua 3:57:17
FC Oswaldo Hernandez (Mex) Fullerton Bicycleo Novo 4:13:11
DNF Miguel Juan (Mercado,) Agritubel

GC After Stage 5

1. Javier Mejias (Esp) Saunier Duval Prodir 14:18:58
2. Francisco Mancebo (Esp) Relax Gam Fuenl
3. Christian Meier (Can) * Symmetrics Cycling
4. Antonio Aldape (Mex) Canel’s Turbo
5. Vitor Rodrigues (Por) * Liberty Seguros 0:05
6. Timothy Duggan (Usa) Team Slipstream 0:16
7. Lucas Euser (Usa) Team Slipstream 0:23
8. David Bernabeu (Esp) Fuerte Ventura 0:23
9. Jose Bonilla (Crc) Adrian Fuerte Ventura 0:38
10. Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Ceramica Flamin 0:38
11. Francisco Matamoros (Mex) Tecos Universid 0:40
12. Gregorio Ladino (Col) Tecos Universid 1:06
13. Carlos Lopez (Mex) Canel’s Turbo 1:16
14. Daniel Moreno (Esp) Relax Gam Fuenl 2:53
15. Nuno Ribeiro (Por) Liberty Seguros 3:08
16. Oscar Sevilla (Esp) Relax Gam Fuenl 3:19
17. Eduardo Gonzalo (Esp) Agritubel 3:19
18. Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) Agritubel 3:26
19. Blake Caldwell (Usa) Team Slipstream 3:26
20. Ruben Lobato (Esp) Saunier Duval P 4:26
21. Fausto Esparza (Mex) Tecos Universid 6:58
22. Adrian Palomares (Esp) Fuerte Ventura 7:25
23. David De La Fuente (Esp) Saunier Duval P 11:36
24. Cameron Evans (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 12:09
25. Arquimedes Lam (Mex) Canel’s Turbo 16:44
26. Daniel Bowman (Usa) Kelly Benefit S 21:26
27. Danny Pate (Usa) Team Slipstream 22:35
28. Joel Alamillo (Mex) Arenas Tlax 27:16:00
29. Will Routley (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 27:26:00
30. Cuitlahuac Ayala (Mex) Arenas Tlax 29:54:00
31. Santiago Perez (Esp) Relax Gam Fuenl 30:37:00
32. Jose Gomez De Jesus (Mex) Arenas Tlax 30:49:00
33. Domingo Gonzalez (Mex) Orven 31:22:00
34. Bernardo Colex (Mex) Tecos Universid 33:20:00
35. Alex Hagman (Usa) Aeg Toshiba 35:04:00
36. Alberto Fernandez (Esp) Saunier Duval P 35:30:00
37. Geoff Kabush (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 40:15:00
38. Eder Arenas (Mex) * Arenas Tlax 41:39:00
39. Filipe Cardoso (Por) Liberty Seguros 43:34:00
40. Maxime Bouet (Fra) * Agritubel 43:34:00
41. Uriel Clara (Mex) * Canel’s Turbo 45:18:00
42. Carlos Hernandez (Mex) Manuel Canel’s Turbo 45:54:00
43. Gilberto Porras (Mex) X Rica Burguer 46:25:00
44. Ryan Roth (Can) Kelly Benefit S 47:08:00
45. Jesus Grajeda (Mex) X Orven 49:25:00
46. Hector Rangel (Mex) Hugo Tecos Universid 49:40:00
47. Emilien Berges (Fra) Agritubel 49:48:00
48. Steven Cozza (Usa) * Team Slipstream 50:05:00
49. Edgardo Lugo (Mex) Canel’s Turbo 51:44:00
50. Marco Rios (Mex) Fullerton Bicyc 51:44:00
51. John Parra (Col) Freddy Tecos Universid 51:50:00
52. William Frischkorn (Usa) Team Slipstream 52:53:00
53. David Munoz (Esp) Fuerte Ventura 53:24:00
54. David Belda (Esp) Fuerte Ventura 53:51:00
55. Jose Soto (Mex) Gerardo Arenas Tlax 58:22:00
56. Jose Elias (Esp) Miguel Relax Gam Fuenl 58:45:00
57. Jessel Valenzuela (Mex) *X Orven 1:01:24
58. Mikel Artetxe (Esp) Fuerte Ventura 1:01:25
59. Nacor Burgos (Esp) Relax Gam Fuenl 1:01:25
60. Jonathan Mumford (Usa) Reid Kelly Benefit S 1:01:25
61. Andrew Pinfold (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 1:01:25
62. Justin Spinelli (Usa) Kelly Benefit S 1:01:25
63. Juan Mercado (Esp) Miguel Agritubel 1:01:25
64. Ryan Blicken (Usa) Rica Burguer 1:01:47
65. Iosvani Falcon (Cub) Aeg Toshiba 1:07:31
66. Keven Lacombe (Can) * Kelly Benefit S 1:09:56
67. Pedro Covarrubias (Mex) Orven 1:13:32
68. Cesar Quiterio (Por) Liberty Seguros 1:13:59
69. Misael Ramirez (Mex) * Universidad Aut 1:14:32
70. Eduardo Graciano (Mex) Orven 1:14:52
71. Martin Robles (Mex) X Rica Burguer 1:15:24
72. Carlos Nozal (Por) Liberty Seguros 1:16:39
73. Roberto Rodriguez (Mex) Fullerton Bicyc 1:17:58
74. Juan Villela Pablo (Mex) X Rica Burguer 1:18:04
75. Miguel Gonzalez (Mex) Angel Universidad Aut 1:18:19
76. Eduardo Vicencio (Mex) X Rica Burguer 1:18:51
77. Henry Swiny (Usa) Rica Burguer 1:19:10
78. Rafael Aguilar (Mex) X Universidad Aut 1:24:32
79. Ivan Borunda (Mex) X Universidad Aut 1:24:32
80. Luis Pinheiro (Por) Liberty Seguros 1:24:32
81. Enrique Mendez (Mex) X Universidad Aut 1:28:22
82. Edgar Treviño (Mex) Orven 1:30:06
83. Ricardo Tapia (Mex) Samuel Arenas Tlax 1:32:03
84. Oscar Barron (Mex) * Orven 1:32:19
85. Saul Figueroa (Mex) *X Universidad Aut 1:32:47

*=U23