December 19, 2009 (Ciudad Quesada, San Carlos, Costa Rica) – The defending champion of La Vuelta Ciclista Internacional a Costa Rica, local juvenile Gregory Brenes (BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS) got the yellow jersey after this Friday’s third stage, won by Russian Sergey Kolesnikov. Although the first competitor to cross the finish line was fellow Russian Alexander Khatuntsev, the Commissaries Panel designated Kolesnikov as the true winner of the day.

According to the Chief Commissary Cuban Rafael Rodríguez, Kolesnikov did not completed the official course by taking a wrong detour and cutting off some 20 kilometers. The Judges’decision disqualified him from the stage and the rest of the competition.

However, the Russian Team obtained its second partial triumph in a row. Sergey Kolesnikov entered second and completed the 130,3 kilometers course on a time of 3 hours, 36 minutes and 5 seconds. Then came in Costa Rican Henry Raabe (Citibank-Economy Rent a Car-Blue) and the new leader Gregory Brenes, both at one second.

The stage’s animators, besides the judges and rules, were Netherlands’Giel Nijs (Team Amsterdam) and local Alfredo Sánchez (Bufete Guzmán y Álvarez-Exeltec), who escaped from the peloton with only a few kilometers traveled and kept the break for almost two hours.

The duo were chased at Venecia of San Carlos, some 30 kilometers to the finish in Ciudad Quesada. The peloton then focused on marking the top GC contenders and left the door open for another sprinters’banquet. Russian, Canadian and the best local sprinters immediately placed themselves in the front line. The finish was already told, Sergey Kolesnikov crossing the line ahead of the group thanks to his speedy legs.

Nevertheless, not everything was happiness for the caravan today, since the Organization announced that this year’s dedicated of La Vuelta professor Álvaro Duval Marin, former La Vuelta’s General Director, past away in the morning after two years of fighting against cancer.

Saturday’s stage will be raced in memory of this long-time Costa Rican Cycling authority. The longest course of the tour will begin at la Fortuna of San Carlos and will finish 190,1 kilometers later in Liberia, at the North Pacific of the country.

Results

1. Sergey Kolesnikov (Rus) Russian National Team 3:36:05
2. Henry Raabe (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 0:00:01
3. Gregori Brenes (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade
4. Janier Acevedo (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia
5. Juan Rojas (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
6. Marco Salas (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 0:00:02
7. Jose Bonilla (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue
8. Federico Ramirez (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade
9. Alexander Sanchez (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade
10. Jesus Castaño (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia
11. Steven Villalobos (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
12. Allan Morales (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade
13. Paulo Vargas (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
14. Nicolas Castro (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia
15. Pablo Araya (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
16. Alexis Castro (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia
17. Marconi Duran (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue
18. Salas Marco (CRc) Grupo Ice
19. Cesar Rojas (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
20. William Valencia (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia
21. Julian Rodas (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia
22. Carlos Pulgarin (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia
23. Fabricio Quiros (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 0:00:10
24. Mynor Lopez (Gua) Guatemala National Team 0:00:26
25. Juan Solis (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue
26. Jose Montero (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 0:01:12
27. Ivan Kovalev (Rus) Russian National Team 0:01:20
28. Eddier Godinez (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 0:01:22
29. Guillermo Gonzalez (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade
30. Esteban Castro (CRc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec
31. Carlos Hernandez (Gua) Guatemala National Team
32. Josue Gonzalez (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue
33. Enrique Artavia (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue
34. Diego Flores (Gua) Guatemala National Team
35. Cory Wallace (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 0:01:40
36. Mariano Herrera (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
37. Roman Villalobos (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
38. Luis Rojas (CRc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec
39. Daniel Korevaar (Ned) Amsterdam Team
40. Allan Cordero (CRc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 0:02:07
41. Erick Perez (Gua) Guatemala National Team 0:02:21
42. Noe Alvarez (Gua) Guatemala National Team
43. Renan Gonzalez (CRc) Grupo Ice
44. Miguel Rojas (CRc) Grupo Ice
45. Gilbert Tencio (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 0:03:01
46. Alfredo Flores (Gua) Guatemala National Team
47. Douglas Offer (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue
48. Marvin Guzman (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 0:04:02
49. Alexey Shmidt (Rus) Russian National Team 0:04:05
50. Jonathan Camacho (CRc) Grupo Ice 0:04:12
51. Daniel Rodriguez (CRc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec
52. Randall Aguilar (CRc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 0:04:52
53. Hersson Jimenez (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 0:05:16
54. Johan Barahona (CRc) Grupo Ice 0:05:30
55. Lars Van Devall (Ned) Amsterdam Team
56. Vincent Veilleuz (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH
57. Moises Hernandez (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 0:06:42
58. Alejandro Padilla (Gua) Guatemala National Team
59. Jean-Michel Lachance (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 0:08:16
60. Charles Thibault (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 0:08:37
61. Evgeniy Kovalev (Rus) Russian National Team 0:08:55
62. Victor Smalko (Rus) Russian National Team
63. Giel Nijs (Ned) Amsterdam Team
64. Dion Beukeboom (Ned) Amsterdam Team
65. Luis Alvarez (CRc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 0:09:15
66. David Vargas (CRc) Grupo Ice 0:09:39
67. Cody Camming (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 0:12:09
68. Pablo Leiva (CRc) Grupo Ice 0:14:47
69. Marco Guillen (CRc) Grupo Ice
70. Alfredo Sanchez (CRc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec
71. Niels Lommers (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:16:10
72. Jan Lof (Ned) Amsterdam Team
73. Dirk Van Der Craats (Ned) Amsterdam Team
74. Jeroen Kers (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:16:13
75. Eduardo Garita (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 0:17:40
DNF Arnaud Papillon (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH
DSQ Alexander Khatuntsev (Rus) Russian National Team
DNS Abelardo Julaju (Gua) Guatemala National Team

GC after Stage 3

1. Gregori Brenes (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 7:30:31
2. Alexander Sanchez (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 0:00:01
3. Federico Ramirez (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade
4. Allan Morales (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade
5. Henry Raabe (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 0:00:04
6. Jose Bonilla (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 0:00:05
7. Marconi Duran (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue
8. Fabricio Quiros (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 0:00:09
9. Janier Acevedo (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 0:00:10
10. William Valencia (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 0:00:11
11. Jesus Castaño (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia
12. Nicolas Castro (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia
13. Juan Rojas (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 0:00:14
14. Paulo Vargas (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 0:00:15
15. Pablo Araya (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
16. Alexis Castro (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 0:00:16
17. Cesar Rojas (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 0:00:19
18. Steven Villalobos (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 0:00:20
19. Marco Salas (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
20. Julian Rodas (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia
21. Carlos Pulgarin (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 0:00:29
22. Salas Marco (CRc) Grupo Ice 0:00:47
23. Juan Solis (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 0:00:53
24. Jose Montero (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 0:01:11
25. Guillermo Gonzalez (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 0:01:21
26. Sergey Kolesnikov (Rus) Russian National Team 0:01:23
27. Josue Gonzalez (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 0:01:25
28. Eddier Godinez (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 0:01:40
29. Mynor Lopez (Gua) Guatemala National Team 0:01:49
30. Enrique Artavia (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 0:01:51
31. Diego Flores (Gua) Guatemala National Team 0:02:45
32. Daniel Korevaar (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:02:53
33. Cory Wallace (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 0:03:05
34. Roman Villalobos (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 0:03:06
35. Mariano Herrera (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
36. Esteban Castro (CRc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 0:03:08
37. Ivan Kovalev (Rus) Russian National Team 0:03:14
38. Luis Rojas (CRc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 0:03:26
39. Erick Perez (Gua) Guatemala National Team 0:03:44
40. Allan Cordero (CRc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 0:03:53
41. Carlos Hernandez (Gua) Guatemala National Team 0:03:55
42. Douglas Offer (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 0:03:58
43. Alfredo Flores (Gua) Guatemala National Team 0:04:24
44. Noe Alvarez (Gua) Guatemala National Team 0:05:00
45. Jonathan Camacho (CRc) Grupo Ice 0:05:21
46. Alexey Shmidt (Rus) Russian National Team 0:05:28
47. Gilbert Tencio (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 0:05:59
48. Johan Barahona (CRc) Grupo Ice 0:06:15
49. Daniel Rodriguez (CRc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 0:06:34
50. Hersson Jimenez (CRc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 0:06:42
51. Randall Aguilar (CRc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 0:07:14
52. Moises Hernandez (CRc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 0:07:16
53. Marvin Guzman (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 0:07:27
54. Renan Gonzalez (CRc) Grupo Ice 0:10:29
55. Victor Smalko (Rus) Russian National Team 0:11:13
56. Evgeniy Kovalev (Rus) Russian National Team
57. Miguel Rojas (CRc) Grupo Ice 0:13:02
58. Vicent Veilleuz (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 0:14:18
59. Alejandro Padilla (Gua) Guatemala National Team 0:16:44
60. Jean-Michel Lachance (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 0:17:04
61. Jan Lof (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:17:23
62. Jeroen Kers (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:17:26
63. Dion Beukeboom (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:17:31
64. Eduardo Garita (CRc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 0:18:16
65. Lars Van Devall (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:18:18
66. Charles Thibault (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 0:19:52
67. Giel Nijs (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:21:57
68. Cody Canning (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 0:22:28
69. David Vargas (CRc) Grupo Ice 0:22:47
70. Alfredo Sanchez (CRc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 0:23:15
71. Marco Guillen (CRc) Grupo Ice 0:24:33
72. Dirk Van Der Craats (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:24:46
73. Pablo Leiva (CRc) Grupo Ice 0:25:37
74. Niels Lommers (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:29:58
75. Luis Alvarez (CRc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 0:38:45

Sprint Classification
1. Jean-Michel Lachance CAN (TDQ-GTH) 9 pts.
2. Jan Lof HOL (Team Amsterdam) 8 pts.
3. Marco Guillén CRC (Grupo ICE) 6 pts.

Points Classification
1. Sergey Kolesnikov RUS (Selección de Rusia) 35 pts.
2. Henry Raabe CRC (Citibank-Economy Rent a Car-Blue) 25 pts.
3. Iván Kovalev RUS (Selección de Rusia) 25 pts.

Best Climber
1. Jan Lof HOL (Team Amsterdam) 6 pts.
2. Giel Nijs HOL (Team Amsterdam) 6 pts.
3. Jean Lachance (Can) TDQ-GTH 4 pts.

U23
1. Gregory Brenes CRC (BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS) 7:30:31
2. Allan Morales CRC (BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS) a 1 s.
3. Fabricio Quirós CRC (BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS) a 9 s.

Teams Classification
1. BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS (Costa Rica) 22:06:39
2. Citibank-Economy Rent a Car-Blue (Costa Rica) a 4 s.
3. Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia (Colombia) a 10 s.