October 15, 2006 – Symmetrics Cycling keeps riding well in Mexico — and the racing keeps getting harder. Although it’s the end of the season, the riders on the S-Team said that yesterday’s stage was one of the hardest stages they have done in 2006. Christian Meier was feeling really strong and is still 3rd on GC and still leading the under 23 competition. The S-Team’s other young hope, Brad Fairall did not finish the stage.

Stage 5 was a 220km flat but windy race and really very fast. Symmetrics Cycling had Pinner finish second with Jake Erker coming in fourth. Jeff “Sherby” crashed at about 60km, and had to finish the race in the team van, however he should be ok.

Today’s final Stage 6 does not look that easy and there are some time bonuses that the S-Team needs to be wary of; Meier is only 4 seconds in front of 4th place, and is not very far from 2nd and 1st place. The racing continues…

Here are results of Stage 5, Parral to Delicias, 216.3 kms. We apologize for some of the discrepancies regarding the results and the stages. The Prologue is being called Stage 1 – here is the correct race schedule and we have adjusted all of our postings to match it. – ed.

Vuelta a Chihuahua 2006

– Stage 1 – October 10: Prologue: Ciudad Juárez, 4 kms
– Stage 2 – October 11: Ciudad Juárez/Circ. Chamizal, 80 kms
РStage 3 РOctober 12: Chihuahua-Cuauht̩moc, 116 kms
– Stage 4 – October 13: Creel-Guachochi, 152.4 kms
– Stage 5 – October 14: Parral-Delicias, 216.3 kms
– Stage 6 – October 15: Delicias-Chihuahua, 88 kms

Results – Stage 5 – 216.3 kms

1. Marco Marcato* (Ita) 3C Casalinghi Androni Giocattoli 4:40:12
2. Andrew Pinfold (Can) Symmetrics
3. Cristian Bonfanti (Ita) 3C Casalinghi Androni Giocattoli
4. Jacob Erker (Can) Symmetrics
5. Jose Alberto Martinez (Esp) Agritubel
6. Chistoper Laurent (Fra) Agritubel a
7. Juan Pablo Magallanes (Mex) 3C Casalinghi Androni Giocattoli at 0:02
8. Steve Tilford (USA) Toshiba-AEG-Network Cycling
9. Pedro Luis Marichalar (Esp) Andalucia-Paul-Versan
10. Fausto Esparza (Mex) Tecos

31. Christian Meier* (Can) Symmetrics 0:05
39. Cameron Evans* (Can) Symmetrics 0:07
72. Cooper Marsh* (Can) Symmetrics 1:06
77. Svein Tuft (Can) Symmetrics
DNF Jeff Sherstobitoff (Can) Symmetrics

GC after Stage 5

1. Luis Perez (Esp) Andalucia-Paul-Versan 13:37:23
2. Jesus Zarate (Mex) Tecos at 0:34
3. Christian Meier* (Can) Symmetrics 0:47
4. Fausto Esparza (Mex) Tecos 0:48
5. Hernan Dario Munoz (Col) Canels Turbo-Chocolate Mayordomo 0:51
6. Gregorio Ladino (Col) Tecos 0:56
7. Francisco Matamoros (Mex) Tecos 1:15
8. Jose de Jesus Gomez (Mex) Mole Juquilita/Jalisco 2:52
9. Gilles Canouet (Fra) Agritubel 4:34
10. Svein Tuft (Can) Symmetrics 4:37

25. Cooper Marsh* (Can) Symmetrics 16:20
39. Jacob Erker (Can) Symmetrics 37:13
51. Cameron Evans* (Can) Symmetrics 47:29
68. Andrew Pinfold (Can) Symmetrics 1:01:31

Points

1. Luis Perez (Esp) Andalucia-Paul-Versan 28
2. Marco Marcato* (Ita) 3C Casalinghi Androni Giocattoli 16
3. Juan Manuel Sandoval (Mex) Mole Juquilita/Jalisco 8
4. Gregorio Ladino (Col) Tecos 7
5. Andrew Pinfold (Can) Symmetrics 6
12. Christian Meier * Symmetrics 3

Team GC

1. Tecos 40:53:07
2. Canels Turbo-Chocolate Mayordomo at 2:48
3. Symmetrics 8:13
4. 3C Casalinghi Androni Giocattoli 10:27
5. Andalucia-Paul-Versan. 23:56