February 24, 2007 — Canada’s Svein Tuft (Sym) is still in yellow after today’s Stage 12 road race, 126km Artemisa-Pinar del Rio won by Cuba’s Lizardo Benitez. Christian Meier (Sym) was the top Canuck today placing 21st while Tuft was 28th. The final stage of Vuelta Ciclista a Cuba is tomorrow.

Stage 11a

After 10 stages of the 14-stage Tour of Cuba, Svein Tuft rode himself into the yellow jersey after ripping a 30km time trial in 33:39 averaging 53.5 km/h. Tuft who started the stage with a 1:49 deficit now has a 33-second lead over defending champion Pedro Perez (Cuba). Tuft’s time was 1:22 better than his closest competitor, Arnold Alcolea.

Stage 11b

With only three stages remaining the S-train needed to maintain yellow with a 5-man squad. Stage 11b was a 157km stage averaging 44km/hr on the same afternoon as the time trial making this the most grueling day of the entire stage race. The boys successfully defended the jersey by setting tempo on the front and keeping a close eye on their nearest competitors while conserving as much energy as possible. To ease some of the stress a small break of non-GC contenders was let go and by the end of Stage 11b the time gaps remained the same with Tuft in yellow. After a tough day in the saddle the team made the long transfer to their hotel arriving after 8:30pm feeling nervous about what was to come in Stage 12. “The Cubans will be riding as one tomorrow to bring Perez back into yellow,” said Bruce Wenting, Symmetrics’ road manager in Cuba. “Svein was amazing in the TT. He had to dig hard to put himself into yellow but the rest of the guys were just as awesome today holding the team at the front and riding like true professionals. We planned our race strategy perfectly so far. Our plan was to keep Svein in contention knowing we could take yellow in the TT. We just need to hold our own over the next few days and not get into any trouble.”

Stage 12

The S-team entered Stage 12 with only one goal in mind, to keep Tuft in yellow. “The boys did another great job of maintaining consistency and keeping Svein out of trouble,” said Bruce Wenting. “Svein rolled in about 54 seconds back holding his own against the key contenders and maintaining his 33-second lead.” At the end of stage 12 Symmetrics sits second in the team classification next to Cuba and Christian Meier sits second in the U23 classification. The final stage 13 is a 90km circuit race that will be nothing short of fast and exciting. The Cubans are not going to go down without a battle. “This race is not over yet!” said Wenting from his hotel room in Cuba. “These Cubans ride as one and anything can happen. This is not the Tour de France where we ride the final stage drinking champagne. It will be hard race right to the finish and we are not considering it to be over just yet.”

Results

1. Lizardo Benitez (Cub) 2:50:56
2. Ernesto Cano (Isc) 0:00:04
3. Roger Rodriguez (Pri)
4. Eliodis Griñan (Gtm)
5. Yasmani Martinez (Cub)
6. David Salomon (Mex)
7. Reinier Cardoso (Cha)
8. Yoandry Freire (Cfg)
9. Yordenis Crespo (Mtz)
10. Seranis Gallardo (Gtm)
11. Francisco Matamoros (Jal) 0:00:36
12. Lazaro Moreno (Pri) 0:00:50
13. Gianluca Coletta (Cin) 0:00:54
14. Jorge Rojas (Ssp)
15. Alexey Shchebelin (Cin)
16. Marcelino Esparza (Mex)
17. Arnold Alcolea (Cub)
18. Noslen Funes (Cfg)
19. Wilmen Bravo (Ven)
20. Juan Magallanes (Mex)
21. Christian Meier (Can)
22. Yenier Lopez (Cub)
23. Yosvani Barea (Hol)
24. Reinier Vazquez (Mtz)
25. Raul Granjel (Isc)
26. Michael Gaubiteer (Den)
27. Rodolfo Fernandez (Mex)
28. Svein Tuft (Can)
29. Oleksandr Kvachuk (Cin)
30. Carlos Ochoa (Ven)
31. Jose Rodriguez (Vcl)
32. Roilan Sena (Pri)
33. Danger Angulo (Ssp)
34. Adonis Cardoso (Cub)
35. Luis Macias (Jal)
36. Lisuandy Alonso (Cfg)
37. Pedro Pablo Perez (Cub)
38. Osniel Duarte (Pri)
39. Antonio Cosme (Cro)
40. Bernardo Colex (Jal)
41. Rodolfo Avila (Mex)
42. Bruno Antero (Cro)
43. Juan Padron (Pri)
44. Jan Carlos Arias (Isc)
45. Yunier Alonso (Hab)
46. Nicolai Schwarz (Ger)
47. Alien Garcia (Isc)
48. Hinolt Hidalgo (Pan)
49. Pedro Sibila (Isc)
50. Jesus Zarate (Jal)
51. Fredy Buergos (Cav)
52. Freddy Parra (Jal)
53. Eduardo Treto (Cfg)
54. Yoerlan Marrero (Mtz)
55. Carlos Arias (Cha)
56. Jose Contreras (Ven)
57. Jose Carballo (Hab)
58. Joel Solenzal (Ssp)
59. Carlos Puente (Ssp)
60. Roberto Menendez (Cha)
61. Yosvani Carrasco (Vcl)
62. Wilmer Rodriguez (Cfg)
63. Alberto Grana (Hol)
64. Leinier Padilla (Hab)
65. Duany Rivero (Vcl)
66. Yovani Caceres (Cfg)
67. Marcelo Leiva (Pan)
68. Mario Couso (Scu)
69. Michel Suarez (Cha)
70. Emilio Barreras (Cav)
71. Jose Mojica (Hab)
72. Guillermo Miranda (Pan)
73. Jair Suira (Pan)
74. Jose Medina (Ven)
75. Salvador Aranda (Scu)
76. Angel Castillo (Cha)
77. Stefan Poll (Den)
78. Martin Mata (Cro)
79. Victor Tellez (Hol)
80. Dayron Mendez (Cha)
81. Hector Yamay (Scu)
82. Cuitlahuac Ayala (Cro)
83. Agustin Martinez (Vcl)
84. Sergio Padilla (Cro)
85. Carlos Fidalgo (Gtm)
86. Roberto Fernandez (Cav)
87. Anthony Brea (Ven)
88. Dayren Lagrana (Mtz)
89. Vicente Zanabria (Mtz)
90. Marsh Cooper (Can)
91. Geoff Kabush (Can)
92. Neorlan Ramos (Hab)
93. Gianluca Cavalli (Cin)
94. Maikel Trujillo (Pan)
95. Odel Caballero (Hol) 0:01:15
96. Eduardo Morejon (Mtz)
97. Nico Graf (Ger) 0:01:26
98. Andrew Pinfold (Can)
99. Igor Pugaci (Cin) 0:01:32
100. Carlos Hernandez (Mex)
101. Yulien Rodriguez (Hab) 0:01:41
102. Vladimir Smirnov (Cin) 0:02:28
103. Victor Gomez (Cro) 0:02:55
DNF Reldy Perez (Isc)

GC after Stage 12

1. Svein Tuft (Can) 42:21:25
2. Pedro Pablo Perez (Cub) 0:00:33
3. Carlos Ochoa (Ven) 0:01:04
4. Oleksandr Kvachuk (Cin) 0:01:11
5. Marcelino Esparza (Mex) 0:01:29
6. Arnold Alcolea (Cub) 0:02:04
7. Sergio Padilla (Cro) 0:03:04
8. Bernardo Colex (Jal) 0:03:11
9. Adonis Cardoso (Cub) 0:03:25
10. Lizardo Benitez (Cub) 0:03:33
11. Gianluca Cavalli (Cin) 0:03:48
12. Antonio Cosme (Cro) 0:04:36
13. Jose Contreras (Ven) 0:05:01
14. Pedro Sibila (Isc) 0:05:10
15. Jesus Zarate (Jal) 0:05:11
16. Joel Solenzal (Ssp) 0:05:17
17. Yoandry Freire (Cfg) 0:05:56
18. Vicente Zanabria (Mtz) 0:06:07
19. Francisco Matamoros (Jal) 0:06:38
20. Christian Meier (Can) 0:07:15
21. Raul Granjel (Isc) 0:07:49
22. Yordenis Crespo (Mtz) 0:07:56
23. David Salomon (Mex) 0:08:28
24. Geoff Kabush (Can) 0:16:10
25. Nicolai Schwarz (Ger) 0:16:13
26. Luis Macias (Jal) 0:16:48
27. Yasmani Martinez (Cub) 0:19:02
28. Alien Garcia (Isc) 0:19:04
29. Fredy Buergos (Cav) 0:20:20
30. Eliodis Griñan (Gtm) 0:22:51
31. Jan Carlos Arias (Isc) 0:23:02
32. Juan Magallanes (Mex) 0:23:09
33. Freddy Parra (Jal) 0:26:04
34. Gianluca Coletta (Cin) 0:26:18
35. Yenier Lopez (Cub) 0:27:39
36. Yosvani Barea (Hol) 0:27:57
37. Yoerlan Marrero (Mtz) 0:28:12
38. Jorge Rojas (Ssp) 0:29:40
39. Anthony Brea (Ven) 0:30:09
40. Alexey Shchebelin (Cin) 0:31:07
41. Lisuandy Alonso (Cfg) 0:31:29
42. Wilmer Rodriguez (Cfg) 0:32:48
43. Ernesto Cano (Isc) 0:32:52
44. Rodolfo Fernandez (Mex) 0:33:08
45. Stefan Poll (Den) 0:34:53
46. Victor Gomez (Cro) 0:38:06
47. Yovani Caceres (Cfg) 0:38:52
48. Vladimir Smirnov (Cin) 0:43:20
49. Rodolfo Avila (Mex) 0:43:52
50. Reinier Vazquez (Mtz) 0:44:29
51. Eduardo Treto (Cfg) 0:44:39
52. Roberto Menendez (Cha) 0:45:42
53. Noslen Funes (Cfg) 0:46:48
54. Marsh Cooper (Can) 0:47:18
55. Seranis Gallardo (Gtm) 0:48:02
56. Jose Medina (Ven) 0:49:19
57. Dayron Mendez (Cha) 0:49:58
58. Carlos Hernandez (Mex) 0:50:30
59. Hector Yamay (Scu) 0:50:40
60. Reinier Cardoso (Cha) 0:52:00
61. Mario Couso (Scu) 0:53:32
62. Marcelo Leiva (Pan) 0:57:22
63. Nico Graf (Ger) 0:57:45
64. Wilmen Bravo (Ven) 0:58:38
65. Neorlan Ramos (Hab) 0:59:39
66. Martin Mata (Cro) 0:59:44
67. Cuitlahuac Ayala (Cro) 0:59:49
68. Bruno Antero (Cro) 1:02:52
69. Jose Mojica (Hab) 1:03:25
70. Emilio Barreras (Cav) 1:03:41
71. Alberto Grana (Hol) 1:04:14
72. Andrew Pinfold (Can) 1:06:09
73. Lazaro Moreno (Pri) 1:06:36
74. Hinolt Hidalgo (Pan) 1:08:01
75. Angel Castillo (Cha) 1:10:15
76. Osniel Duarte (Pri) 1:11:47
77. Carlos Arias (Cha) 1:11:56
78. Yunier Alonso (Hab) 1:12:19
79. Eduardo Morejon (Mtz) 1:14:13
80. Odel Caballero (Hol) 1:15:18
81. Salvador Aranda (Scu) 1:15:43
82. Igor Pugaci (Cin) 1:15:57
83. Guillermo Miranda (Pan) 1:16:09
84. Dayren Lagrana (Mtz) 1:18:38
85. Michael Gaubiteer (Den) 1:20:02
86. Roberto Fernandez (Cav) 1:23:48
87. Juan Padron (Pri) 1:24:02
88. Roilan Sena (Pri) 1:25:17
89. Jair Suira (Pan) 1:25:56
90. Yulien Rodriguez (Hab) 1:31:31
91. Leinier Padilla (Hab) 1:32:19
92. Agustin Martinez (Vcl) 1:34:14
93. Jose Carballo (Hab) 1:36:54
94. Carlos Puente (Ssp) 1:38:04
95. Jose Rodriguez (Vcl) 1:41:42
96. Michel Suarez (Cha) 1:42:06
97. Roger Rodriguez (Pri) 1:46:00
98. Yosvani Carrasco (Vcl) 1:49:36
99. Carlos Fidalgo (Gtm) 1:53:38
100. Duany Rivero (Vcl) 2:01:46
101. Victor Tellez (Hol) 2:12:02
102. Danger Angulo (Ssp) 2:18:59
103. Maikel Trujillo (Pan) 2:23:01